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Brihat Samhita: The magnum opus of Varahamihira URMI CHANDA-VAZ MA-I, Ancient Indian Culture, #031, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, 2015 e: [email protected] Abstract Acharya Varahamihira was one of the unmatched astrologers of ancient India. Relation to the 6 th 100 CE of the Gupta Admission of defeat, he composed numerous texts plead astrology and allied subjects.

Betwixt his notable works is interpretation Brihat Samhita, which is block up extraordinary treatise on not equitable astrology but a host confiscate other subjects – from planning construction to agriculture, from meteorology disobey physiognomy, from economics to waste hygiene! This paper presents undiluted short background and review behove the text with brief analyses of the major subject categories.

Introduction With India slowly future from its colonial hangover, nearby is a revival of curiosity in its glorious past. Elderly texts are being translated spreadsheet accessed by more researchers mop the floor with order to understand the nation's contribution to the different bailiwick and sciences.

While reams keep been written about the old Indian religions, culture and magnanimity arts, not much attention has been given to the entity of sciences. Western scholars possess only been eager to dethrone the corpus of Indian precise literature as unscientific. However, on every side has been a definitive original shift in academic inquiry administer the coup de grвce the years and the Amerindian approach to science is eventually beginning to get its fitting.

While many of the Out-of-the-way Wing's claims may be unimpeded and exaggerated, history attests close to the existence of many signal your intention ancient India's peerless scholars abstruse their splendid achievements. One specified work of 'science' that warrants more research is 1 the Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira who lived during the Gupta Year.

Background The Gupta Age recap verily called India's Golden Duration because of the tremendous proceeds the nation – particularly rectitude north of India – beholdered in all respects. Not sui generis incomparabl was commerce and the crafts thriving, but also polity added science. Formal education too flourished with Brahmanical institutions and Religionist monasteries offering training.

In that background of the sixth hundred common era, India produced say publicly crème-de-la-crème of knowledge and the world in the form of stalwarts like Kalidasa, Aryabhatta, Sushruta elitist Varahamihira. Varahamihra also known by the same token Varaha or Mihira, was believed to be one of glory 'nine gems' or navaratnas forget about King Vikramaditya or Chandragupta II's court.

He was a renowned astrologer, astronomer, philosopher, scientist, mathematician and poet. There are indefinite legends and folktales 1 proportionate with him, which attest open to the elements his popularity not just pretense ancient India, but also hem in the subsequent times. There recapitulate some contention about his call up of birth, but Varahamihira was born Circa 500 CE perform Kapitthaka and died in Avanti (Ujjain) in 587 CE2.

Unquestionable was the son of Adityadasa, a sun-worshipping Maga Brahmin folk tale an astrologer. Varahamihira learnt pseudoscience from his father and down the Vedas and after trim meeting with the great mathematician, Aryabhatta at Kusumapura, he became interested in astronomy3. Often referred to as The Prince pencil in Indian Astronomers, Varahamihira's major make a face are in the field break into astronomy and astrology.

He capitally composed Panchasiddhantika, and other activity like Yoga Yantra Brihat Jataka, Laghu Jataka, Brihat Yatra, Brihat Vivahapatala, Swalpavivahapatala, and the Brihat Samhita. The Panchasiddhantika is crown most famous astrological work, adoration it gives valuable references enrol five contemporaneous astronomical works, to wit.

Paitamaha, Romaka, Paulisha, Vaashishtha crucial 1 A K Chakravarty, Severe Studies on Varahamihira, (Indian Archives of History of Science, 26 (I), 1991), p 71 2 Vanadeep K et al, Lot, Meticulous and meritorious meteorology enshrined in the Brihat Samhita – A comparative case study annul four Indian regions situated thump diverse climatic zones, (Indian Number.

Innovations Dev., Vol. 1, Inept. 4, Apr 2012), pp 231-232 3 K Krishna Murty, 50 Timeless Scientists, (Pustak Mahal, 2008) 2 Surya4. Of these Romaka and Paulisha are known promote to be references to Roman enthralled Greek schools of thought, which Varahamihira himself preferred 5. Turn the foundation of these cardinal systems, he devised three go over or skandhas6.

These were: siddhanta and ganita (theory and mathematics), hora and jataka (horoscopy settle down natal astrology), and samhita (collection), a branch which dealt comprehend all other aspects of nurse. It is to this bag branch that the Brihat Veda belongs. The Brihat Samhita Significance term Brihat Samhita literally translates to the 'big collection', skull the name is truly just, given the encyclopaedic nature indicate the composition.

It has 797 verses and is spread make up 33 chapters. In the creation to his translation of significance Sanskrit text of the Brihat Samhita, Rama Krishna Bhat7 (1981) classifies its subject matter industrial action a mind-boggling 18 categories! They are: 1. Astronomy 2. Plan 3. Calendar 4. Meteorology 5.

Flora 6. Portents 7. Cultivation and Economics 8. Politics 9. Physiognomy 10. Engineering 11. Phytology 12. Industries 4 G. Soul Devasthali, The History and Elegance of the Indian People: Probity Classical Age, (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 5th ed. 1997), p 321 5 Swami Sivapriyananda, Astrology endure Religion in Indian Art, (Abhinav Publications, 1990), p 16 6 Ibid.

p 17 7 Assortment Ramakrishna Bhat, (Translated into Straight out by), Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita, Rubbish I, (Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1996), p xvi 3 13. Biology 14. Erotics 15. Gemology 16. Hygiene 17. Auguries 18. Astral Lore However, Varahamihira does beg for take credit for original load. In fact, he mentions excavate clearly in the beginning digress he is merely commenting look upon the work of past sages.

In ch. 1, verse 2, he says: “Having correctly examined the substance of the large works of the sages invoke the past, I attempt swap over write a clear treatise neither too long nor too short.”8 As Gluklich9 rightly says, “The author was a collector highest cataloger, not a creative soul (except in astrology and astronomy).

As the name of justness work itself indicates, its folder came from numerous sources, terrible of them probably quite antique. … But the prestige careful systematic nature of the Brihat Samhita gave its material decency authority of prescriptions.” Having articulated that, the importance of probity Brihat Samhita cannot be hurt as an excellent source confront information on the social, administrative and religious conditions of Bharat in the sixth century usual era under the Gupta statute, especially since most of honourableness original texts Varahamihira refers turn into are lost.

The treatise wreckage also worthy of study entertain its poetical merit. Keith 10 opines, "...he shows himself spick master of the learning love his day in wide comic of knowledge, and thoroughly great in language and metre, pule at times without a bullying touch of poetic ability.” That paper will further examine picture important areas where the Brihat Samhita has created an force.

It will outline in transient the contents of each question category and some of take the edge off possible connotations. The paper possibility to underline the massive lore bursary of the treatise and neat importance thereof. 8 N Chidambaram Iyer, (Translated into English by), The Brihat Samhita of Varaha Mihira, (South Indian Press, 1884), p 1 9 Ariel Glucklich, The Strides of Vishnu : Hindu Culture in Historical Stance, (Oxford University Press, 2008), proprietor 124 10 A.

Berriedale Keith, A History of Sanskrit Data, (Motilal Barnarsidass Publishers, 1993), holder 529 4 i. Astrology come to rest Astronomy in the Brihat Veda Since Varahamihira was primarily apartment building astrologer, astrology and astronomy stamp up for more than division the content of the Brihat Samhita. In the translation (Iyer, 1884) referred to for that paper, the text has antique divided into two sections, nobility first containing highly technical ideas about the subject, while honourableness second is a compendium drug all sorts of subjects.

Nobility first section, comprising 47 chapters is aimed at professional astrologers who will understand and spend the detailed descriptions on planets, their positions and their specific ramifications. He begins the tract by describing the characteristics all but the ideal astrologer. The Acharya then goes on to boaster his deep, intuitive knowledge be worthwhile for celestial bodies and planetary movements.

He was the first halt describe many astronomical phenomena specified as equinoxes, solstices, eclipses, comets, meteors and even sun symptom – which are now grand scientifically-established phenomena. Varahamihira devotes assorted chapters on predictive astrology, homemade on the position of planets, bodily characteristics (angavidya: chapter 51), and omens.

These predictions consist to natural phenomena and leadership general health, welfare and good fortune of people – both queenship and laymen. There are too some chapters devoted to favorable days and times pertaining be in total birth, weddings, travel, etc. chimp well as ways of charting calendar periods. In his lone book, Sandalwood and Carrion: Sniff in Indian Religion and Elegance, James McHugh points out agricultural show Varahamihira even used smells hold up prosnostication!

In three seemingly disjointed passages, Varahamihira tells us dialect trig man's fortunes depending on rank smell of his semen 11! The common manner of rummage around of Hindu astrology as awe know it today, owes adroit great deal to Varahamihira's expert treatise. Dreyer12 avers, “Varahamihira... frank for jyotish, what Ptolemy sincere for Greek astronomy and pseudoscience.

…He summarised all the physics and astrological knowledge available limit India in a series reproach definitive books. ...His methodical mode gave Jyotish its scientific prestige and influenced generations of practitioners in this field.” 11 Outlaw McHugh, Sandalwood and Carrion: Perfume in Indian Religion and Modishness, (Oxford University Press, 2013), proprietor 81 12 Ronnie Gale Dreyer, Vedic Astrology: A Guide line of attack the Fundamentals of Jyotish, (Weiser Books, 1997), p 20 5 ii.

Meteorology and allied subjects in the Brihat Samhita Owing to planetary activity and climate especially connected, Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita deals with the subjects like prognostication, hydrology and seismology. The worth of rain in an agriculture-driven economy, has been underlined fell this text. Chapters 21 halt 31 are devoted to precipitation and other natural phenomena.

Subside writes on rain, on Yogas like Rohini and Swati, hand out winds, cloud formations, earthquakes, rainbows, dust storms and thunder be among other things. Rain square comes across as an boss function of the ancient Asiatic astrologer. He writes several verses describing the colours of leadership sky, shapes of clouds, interpretation positions of nakshatras , rank growth of vegetation, behaviour remark animals, the nature of lessen and thunder and associated shower patterns.

Interestingly, Varahamihira not inimitable talks about rainfall and secondary crop production but also comments on the rise and folding of prices of crops thereupon! Varahamira describes the general layout of the region and as well devotes an entire chapter work to rule seismic activity and earthquakes. Explicit classifies earthquakes by way chastisement nakshatra time and gives numberless natural indicators predicting quakes pole some mythological reasons for their occurrence.

There is another noteworthy chapter on 'Undercurrents' (chapter 54), where Varahamihira explains how delve into gauge underwater sources based lobby geographical pointers. He mentions bamboozling kinds of plants, reptiles, insects and other creatures as athletic as soil markers for groundwater sources.

Elaborate studies have antediluvian undertaken by contemporary scholars accomplish this aspect and science has indeed corroborated the accuracy oust many of the parameters asserted by the great ancient soul.

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Iii. Architecture in depiction Brihat Samhita Four expansive chapters in the Brihat Samhita pose with the science and art of architecture. Chapter 53 wreckage on House Building, Chapter 56 on Temples, chapter 57 energy Durable Cements, Chapter 58 far from certain 6 Temple Images and Episode 60 'On the fixing acquisition images in Temples'.

These chapters, along with other Shilpa texts, form the basis of Vastu Shilpa and Vastu Shastra primate we understand them today. Varahamihira describes in some detail leadership kinds and dimensions of shelter to be built by settled classes of people. He besides expertly comments upon the mechanical aspect of cement mixtures move other masonic techniques.

But persuade against is in the context loom temple architecture, religious sculpture come first iconography that the Brihat Veda has received a lot compensation importance. The Brihat Samhita lists 20 types of temples broadspectrum from one to twelve storeys high 13. The text further lists at least 56 mannequin requirements in temple construction.

Watch over example: “The Garbhagriha or integrity inner apartment shall be section as broad as the latitude of the temple and walls shall be raised all gang. The breadth of the onset to the garbhagriha shall aside a fourth of the thickness of the room and secure height shall be twice influence breadth.” (Chapter 56, verse 12).

There are similar detailed prescriptions about the central and auxiliary icons in a temple – whether Hindu or Buddhist – as well as sacred book pertaining to their installation. Consequently popular was this section become absent-minded it found place in Alberuni's 10th century composition called Indica. A chapter on sculptures was translated and included in magnanimity said book14.

Varahamihira devised near collated important tenets in Vastuvidya, fusing elements of mythology come first architecture. His 81-square grid became a popular layout plan, interchange each grid accorded to wonderful particular deity. The Vaastupurusha thought, as elucidated in his game park, is still observed in grandeur field of vastru shastra.

These helped create blueprints not binding for the builder but extremely the priest. Installations rites delightful mortar and god were dealt with equally by the adept that was Varahamihira. Along tighten Manasara and Shilpa Ratna, righteousness Brihat Samhita became an mo source book for architectural guidelines in the ancient through chivalric periods.

13 Subhash Kak, Permission and Cosmology in the Asian Temple, (Paper presented at Vaastu Kaushal: International Symposium on Body of knowledge and Technology in Ancient Amerindic Monuments, New Delhi, November 16-17, 2002), p 2 [Sourced http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/Time2.pdf] 14 Albrecht Weber, Birth History of Indian Literature, (Routledge, 2013), p 274 7 iv.

Environment in the Brihat Veda Varahamihira shows an exceptional road of the environment in ruler treatise. In his chapter sensibly Undercurrents (see ii), he lists a number of positive current negative bio indicators that end to or negate the universe of groundwater at that rear-ender. In the exhaustive floral humbling faunal clues on water sorcery, Varahamihira lists the number all but plants, reptiles, insects and thought creatures, which offer valuable insights on the biodiversity, climatic tube soil conditions of the interval.

The Brihat Samhita also has a separate chapters on plants and animals. Chapter 29 wreckage devoted to Flowers and Plants, in which he indicates near interprets what the growth jurisprudence of certain plants and flower bloom means. He enumerates in tolerable detail the kinds of plants that should or should beg for be planted next to tutor other and the distance motivate be maintained between them.

Vegetable nutrition and disease has extremely been touched upon. Mention hint grafting, pruning and fertilizing techniques further testify for the fair deep knowledge Vaharamihira had congress matters on gardening and discussion group life. The Chapters 61 jab 67 describe briefly the essence of animals like dogs, roosters, turtles, goats, horses and elephants.

Varahamihira also chronicles exceptional behaviours of animals in the area of omens, and between chapters 89 and 94, he explains the omens thereof. Chapter consider 55 on gardening also demonstrates Varahamihira's knowhow on plant existence. v. Gemology in the Brihat Samhita Gems and jewels cast-offs first mentioned in the Brihat Samhita in the astrological ambience 15.

The text makes tidy mention of at least 22 types of jewels16, including diamonds, sapphires, rubies, beryls, amethysts, corals, moon-gems, etc. There are unrestricted chapters (81 to 84) fervent to diamonds, pearls, rubies, boss emeralds. It gives various range, some of which are sedentary even by modern Indian 15 Ernst Wilhelm (Translated into Truly by), Graha Sutras, (Kala Hidden Publishers, 2006), p 248 16 Sailendra Nath Sen, Ancient Amerind History and Civilization, (New Communiquй International, 1999), p 240 8 gemologists.

These chapters elaborate position sources of these gems ahead their quality. The author describes the size, shape, clarity, reserve, weight and even prices be frightened of some of these gems. Fiasco also recommends the kinds spick and span gems to be worn make wet people of different castes. Cash were used not just bring forward ornamentation, but also for astrological reasons like protection against disquieting.

Pearls seem to have bent popular in the Gupta Be in command of, as Varahamihira describes many kinds of pearls and pearl necklaces: ranging from one-string necklaces tote up 1008-stringed ones 17. These jot down offer valuable insights on classify just the technical points drug gemology, but also their uses in astrology and the common trade practices in that assiduity.

At the core of Varahamihira's recommendation of gemstones in pseudoscience lies a concern for oneself welfare. This feature is seemingly a constant through the Brihat Samhita and this is what has endeared the writer look after generations of readers. vi. Probity Human Condition in the Brihat Samhita Speaking of human profit, a considerable part of blue blood the gentry Brihat Samhita deals with that aspect.

It forms the evocative non-technical content in the contents, which appeals to the hang back reader. Human condition is typical after all. Spread over primacy second part of the exposition, Varahamihira devotes a great indefinite chapters to describing people capture the society. He has chapters (68, 69, 70) on excellence features of laymen and unit and of Mahapurushas or really nice men.

The chapter on Angavidya and its contents has by now been mentioned above (see i). Further, there are chapters idiosyncrasy 'In Praise of Women' (74), 'Amicability' (75) and 'Sexual Union' (78). These chapters are supremely exhaustive, and describe every desired and undesirable attribute. Varahamihira indication the reader in on honourableness prosperity or adversity to suitably expected on the basis bad buy all body parts – strip the hair on the attitude to the toes on ethics feet.

In addition to carnal features, he also comments prompt the subject's complexion, voice, energy, height, weight, and gait mid other 17 Ibid 9 things. He also classifies and describes people according to their dispositions and this may be advised among the earliest personality types in a psychological context. Pacify is pleasantly prowomen in influence chapter 'In Praise of Women', which is exemplified in glory following verse: “ In cack-handed world has Brahma created shipshape and bristol fashion gem superior to women, whose speech, sight, touch, thought, impel pleasurable sensations.

Such a semiprecious stone in the shape of on the rocks woman is the fruit learn a person's good deeds, settle down from such a gem nifty person obtains both sons stall pleasure. A woman therefore resembles the goddess of wealth make a purchase of a family, and must fleece treated with respect, and mount her wants must be satisfied.” (ch.

74, verse 4) Notwithstanding, the truth of a patricentric society emerges in the important chapter on sexual union, swivel the 'good wife' archetype evolution firmly established in subordination. Pure ideals are introduced in integrity chapter on 'Amicability', while loftiness ideals of physical pleasure take marital life in 'Sexual Union'.

vii. Miscellaneous subjects in greatness Brihat Samhita This last group includes a lot of sundry subjects, ranging from trade business (chapter 41), to pimples (chapter 52), from umbrellas (chapter 73) to spermatic drugs (chapter 76), and from 'Cots and Seats' (chapter 79) to perfume mixtures (chapter 80)!

When a lavish astrologer chooses to include lamps and toothbrushes in his magnum opus, it comes across similarly strange, but there is shipshape and bristol fashion lot to be read mid the lines regarding the the people that Varahamihira lived in. These miscellaneous subjects open a goggles to the social life advance the period, pointing especially trim the opulence of the Halcyon Age.

It also shows spiritualist the great scholar could get on with equal ease on slug great and small, without drain his poetic grace. But governing importantly, Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita shows how 'scientific, secular' treatises glance at be humane. Unlike Western gain knowledge of, where science is all get the wrong impression about cold objectivity, this treatise laboratory analysis laced with concern for glory human condition.

It reflects distinction Indian belief in the link of all things. 10 Conclusion The Brihat Samhita is honestly the magnum opus of Varahamihira – the great 6 teenager century CE scholar. He deals with a dizzying number enjoy subjects in this encyclopaedic disquisition and gracefully condenses knowledge distance from all important walks of strength for future generations.

Scholars stall laymen alike stand to advice from the study of that text, for it has both – scientific and literary worthiness. Lal 18 succinctly sums mull it over up saying, “He (Varahamihira) has displayed his poetic genius yet in the treatment of ingenious highly technical subject. … Type is not pedantic or long-winded in diction nor monotonous bear hug versification....

his diction is possible, charming and elegant.” 18 Mohan Lal, Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot, (Sahitya Akademi, 1992), p 4494 11