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Vedic Origins of the Zodiac - Part 1 
May 2, 2007 |
| Vedic Astrology Diary Archives |
By Dr.
David Frawley
Vedic
Origins of the Zodiac - Part 2
Vedic
Origins of the Zodiac - Part 3
Some scholars have claimed that the Babylonians invented the
zodiac of 360 degrees around 700 BCE, perhaps even earlier.
Many claim that India received the knowledge of the zodiac from
Babylonia or even later from Greece. However, as old as the
Rig Veda, the oldest Vedic text, there are clear references
to a chakra or wheel of 360 spokes placed in the sky. The number
360 and its related numbers like 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 108,
432 and 720 occur commonly in Vedic symbolism. It is in the
hymns of the great Rishi Dirghatamas (RV I.140 – 164)
that we have the clearest such references.
Dirghatamas is one of the most famous Rig Vedic Rishis. He was
the reputed purohit or chief priest of King Bharata (Aitareya
Brahmana VIII.23), one of the earliest kings of the land, from
which India as Bharata (the traditional name of the country)
was named.
Dirghatamas was one of the Angirasa Rishis, the oldest of the
Rishi families, and regarded as brother to the Rishi Bharadvaja,
who is the seer of the sixth book of the Rig Veda. Dirghatamas
is also the chief predecessor of the Gotama family of Rishis
that includes Kakshivan, Gotama, Nodhas and Vamadeva (seer of
the fourth book of the Rig Veda), who along with Dirghatamas
account for almost 150 of the 1000 hymns of the Rig Veda. His
own verses occur frequently in many Vedic texts, a few even
in the Upanishads.
The hymns of Dirghatamas speak clearly of a zodiac of 360 degrees,
divided in various ways, including by three, six and twelve,
as well as related numbers of five and seven. We must remember
that the zodiac is first of all a mathematical division of the
heavens such as this hymn outlines. This is defined mainly according
to the elements, qualities and planetary rulerships of the twelve
signs. The symbols we ascribe to these twelve divisions is a
different factor that can vary to some degree. The actual stars
making up the constellation that goes along with the sign is
yet a third factor. For example, some constellations are less
or more than thirty degrees, but the mathematical or harmonic
division of each sign will only be thirty degrees. What is important
about the hymns of Dirghatamas is that he shows the mathematical
basis of such harmonic divisions of a zodiac of 360 degrees.
For Dirghatamas, as was the case for much of later Vedic astronomy,
the main God of the zodiac is the Sun God called Vishnu. Vishnu
rules over the highest heaven and is sometimes identified with
the pole star or polar point, which in the unique view of Vedic
astronomy is the central point that governs all celestial motions
and form which these are calculated.
According to Dirghatamas Rig Veda I.155.6, "With four
times ninety names (caturbhih sakam navatim ca namabhih), he
(Vishnu) sets in motion moving forces like a turning wheel (cakra)."
This suggests that even in Vedic times Vishnu had 360 names
or forms, one for each degree of the zodiac. A fourfold division
may correspond to the solstices and equinoxes. Elsewhere Dirghatamas
states, I.164.36, "Seven half embryos form the seed
of the world. They stand in the dharma by the direction of Vishnu."
This probably refers to the seven planets.
- To be continued
reprinted with permission
Copyright
2010. Vaughn Paul Manley. All Rights Reserved. |
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