Astron-Omy was called the eyes of the Vedas?, because the behaviour of all creations is determined by time and time is known through the movement of the plants. Hence, astronomy has been a part of the Vedas and Vedanga since ancient times. We find innumerable examples in the Rigveda, Shatpath, Brahmin and the other books about the stars, the lunar and solar months, the extra month, changes in seasons, the significance of the sun, unit of era (kalpa) etc. The sages carried out direct observations for this purpose. It is said that Sage Deerghatamas became blind while studying and observing the sun. Sage Gritsmad spoke about the effects of the moon on the foetus. In the 40th mantra of the 18th chapter of the Yajurveda, it is said that the moon shines because of the rays of the sun.
There was a method to use machines for astronomical observations. More than 1500 years ago, during the time of Aryabhatta, there was an observatory in Pataliputra where Aryabhatta drew many conclusions after observing the sky.
In a the chapter on machines in the book Siddhanta Shiromani, Bhaskaracharya says, ?It is not possible to gain knowledge of the small fractions of time without the help of machines.? He describes the naadivalay yantra, yashti yantra, ghati yantra, chakra yantra, shanku yantra, chaap, turya, phalak etc.
The history of direct observation and accurate/exact calculations of time and planets is more than 6,000 years old.
In his book Indian Science and Technology in the Eighteenth Century, Shri Dharmapalji has published an article entitled Remarks on the Astronomy of the Brahmins by the famous astronomer, John Playfair (published in 1790). This article proves that India had knowledge in astronomy for more than 6000 years and that Indian calculations were applied throughout the world. The article says that in 1687, M.L. Labbett, who was in the French embassy in Siam, brought a calendar with him to France. Missionaries had sent two calendars from India?one from south India and one from Varanasi. Likewise, M.D.Lisle sent another calendar, which was from Narasaapur in south India. The French mathematicians of the time could not understand these calendars. So, they sent them to John Playfair, who was the Royal Astronomer at that time. When he started studying them, he realised that although they were from different places the principle on which they had been made, was the same.
Another amazing thing that came to Playfair'snotice was that the Meridian given in the Siamese calendar was 18? (degrees)?15?(minutes) West, but Siam was not situated on this Meridian. It was surprising that it joined the Meridian of Varanasi. This meant that the basis of the Siamese calendar was also India.
The second thing that he says, all the calendars speak of the same year?which they consider the beginning of kaliyug and of the position of the stars as they were on the first few days of kaliyug. They calculate the time also accordingly. They tell us what the position of the planets was at that time. It seems strange because kaliyug is believed to have started around 3,000 BC. It seems strange, that the positions of Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Mercury, Venus, etc. had been written about so long ago. After analysing it in great detail, Playfair says, ?There is striking similarity between the position of the planets as given in the ancient calendars and those that have been prepared with the help of the modern methods available today.? Playfair gives two alternatives as to how this could be possible.
1. The Brahmins must have developed a flawless and accurate way of counting. They were already well acquainted with the rules of the universe'sgravitation to attract the distant and near planets.
2. The Brahmins had observed the sky in a scientific way.
Playfair selects the second alternative and accept that the Brahmins had, in the past, observed and studied the sky clearly. The calendars they made in the past with ordinary means, are amazing. They used geography, arithmetic and trigonometry to prepare them.
In the end, Playfair says two things:
1.This proves that astronomy was studied in India from 3,000 BC and that the position of the sun and the moon, at the time of the beginning of kaliyug, as described, was based on actual observations.
2. It must have taken 1000-1200 years to develop and propagate such a pure knowledge. Hence, we can say that in 4,300 BC, astronomy was developed in India on the basis of direct experiences.
The analysis of a neutral foreigner inspires us to act further.
Shri Dharmapalji has, in this book, written that Sir Robert Barker, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in contemporary Bengal, who later became a member of the British Parliament, had, in 1777, thrown light on an ancient Indian Observatory in an article entitled Brahmin Observatory in Benaras. In 1772, he had examined the observatory. At that time, it was in a dilapidated state as it had not been used for a long time. Even so, the machines and means that were left were studied minutely by Barker. An important thing that struck him was that these things had been made about 400 years ago. Their measurements, their calculations, etc. were all flawless.
