Ancient Indian Chronology Illustrating Some of the Most Important Astronomical Methods

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This work uses the science of astronomy alone to ascertain the dates of past history of the Hindus, both of the Vedic and later times. Selected contents: date of the Bharata battle, Madhu-Vidya or the science of spring, Rbhus and their awakening by the dog; tradition of Indra's victory over Asuras; miscellaneous indications of Vedic antiquity; the solar eclipse in Rgveda and the date of Atri, Yama and his two dogs; time reference from the Jaimimya Brahmana; Kaniska's era; the Gupta era; date of Kalidasa Includes charts and illustrations to aid in comprehension of the text.

Dr. Prabodh Chandra Sengupta (1876-1962)[1] was a historian of astronomy in ancient India. He was a Professor of Mathematics in Bethune College Calcuttaand a lecturer in Indian Astronomy and Mathematics at the University of Calcutta.

The word chronology meant apparent dating only, from the 16th century of the Christian era. The word bas now come to mean the science of computing and adjusting time and periods of time, and also of recording and arranging events in order of time, it means computation of time and assignation of events to then correct dates " In the present work, it is the science of Astronomy alone that has been brought into requisition in ascertaining the dates of past history of the Hindus, both of the Vedic and of later times. The data for dates arrived at from 4170 B.C to 625 BC have been derived from the sources which are either of the Vedic or post-Vedic Sanskrit literature. In the section on the Indian eras, they have been derived chiefly from the archaeological sources.

Now, chronology is based on the interpretation that we may put to any statement which is derived either from the literary or epigraphic sources Whether the interpretations accepted in the present work are justifiable, is a point that is to be decided by the author's critics So far as he is concerned he has this satisfaction that he could not find any better interpretations than what he has accepted of the astronomical references which he could discover and use for the present work It is made up of the following sections, viz, the Date of Bharata Battle, the Vedic Antiquity, Brahmana Chronology, and on the Indian Eras It has not been possible to ascertain any dates from any other Santa Sutras excepting those of Baudhayana, Katyayana and Apastamba. The Grhya Sutras do not present any new indication of dates.

The results of the findings may be briefly stated thus 1 The date of the Bharata Battle has been proved to have been the year 2449 B C., so far as evidences can be discovered from the Sanskrit literature, no other date for the event is now possible The antiquity of the Rgvedà as shown in the chapters of the book extend from 4000 B C to perhaps 2450 BC. The Atharva Veda indications also point to dates from 4000 B C. to about 2350 BC, viz., the time of Janamejaya Päriksita, while the different sections of the Yajur veda show a range of dates beginning from about 2450 BC.

As to the Brahmanas and Srauta Sutras, they are books on rituals only and as such they cannot belong to the same antiquity as the Vedas themselves, more specially the Rigveda The 1ange of dates obtained for this type of works extends from about 1625 B C to about 630 B.C So far as my studies go, the Yajurveda itself is more or less a Brahmana or a work on rituals. The Brahmanas as a rule record the traditional days for beginning the' sacrifices which indicate the earliest date of about 3550 BC Such statements, however, cannot give us the dates of the Brahmanas which record them.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages