Part 4.2 - Jyotiḥśāstra in the Vedāṅga Period

i. As a Vedāṅga

According to the extant texts of Jyotiḥśāstra, this period constitutes the second period of the development of Jyotiḥśāstra following the Veda period and is termed as the Vedāṅga period.^[1]

ii. Early Form of Jātaka

The earlier Saṃhitās of Garga, Parāśara and others come under this period.^[2] The Siddhāntas, exclusively based on the Gaṇita branch of Jyotiḥśāstra start appearing at the ending boundary of this period.

The Kalpasūtras and rest of the literature on Dharmaśāstra constitute the texts on Jyotiṣa in this period. Rāśis (zodiac signs), and Vāra (weekdays) were not yet introduced to the scheme of Jyotiḥśāstra, months being addressed as Caitra and the rest, this period^[3] bifurcates from the later one though with a manual intervention compared to the self existent absolute authority of the Vedic scriptures is reliant on the Vedic passages^[4] and thereby indigenous whereas the later period shows the admixture of foreign elements.

iii. Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa: Treatise on Astronomy

The Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa which is the earliest extant text on Jyotiṣa happens to be of this period. It deals with the positions of the Sun and the Moon with reference to the Nakṣatras, without any reference to Rāsi divisions or Planets (Grahas), relates the solar and the lunar months. It also deals with the Adhimāsa, Tithikṣaya and such topics essential for the purpose of rituals. The year began with Udagayana in Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa whereas with Vasanta in the other texts of the similar period. The terms as Mūhurta, Kṣana occur in the other Vedāṅgas.^[5]

iv. Divisions of Time from Truṭi to Yuga

The Arthaśāstra refers to several divisions of time from Truṭi to Yuga and equals an Ahorātra to thirty Muhūrtas without referring hours.^[6]

The concept of four Yugas appear in the Epics and the Manusmṛti.^[7] Yājñavalkya mentions a Grahayajña, also the concept of Devaloka and the path of the Pitṛs^[8] occur in this period.

The Nakṣatra system fixed as 27 in number is an acceptance in this period with the disappearance of Abhijit expressed in a myth in the Vanaparva (230. 2-11).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Jyotiṣa as one of the Vedāṅgas exists in the Smṛtis, Itihāsa and perhaps the older of the Purāṇas if any existing in this period. The period extends from 800 B.C. to 300 A.D. History of Dharmaśāstra Vol. V. 1., p. 484. Diksit marks the Vedāṅga period from 1500-500 prior to the Śaka Era. Bhāratīya Jyotiṣaśāstra p. 139-140.

[2]:

History of Dharmaśāstra V.1., p. 579.

[3]:

Bifurcated from the next one on the criteria of Rāśis and Weekdays Bhāratīya Jyotiṣaśāstra, p. 139.

[4]:

Pūrvamīmāṃsā-sūtra of Jaimini I. 3. 3-4.

[5]:

Nirukta 31.14.

[6]:

Arthaśāstra II. 20.

[7]:

Manusmṛti I. 65-67,69-70.

[8]:

Bhāratīya Jyotiṣaśāstra, p. 103, 107.