8. Contributions of Varahamihira

Varahamihira was the prodigious Indian Astronomer, Astrologer of Ujjain, and distinguished Mathematician, who lived in 5^th century AD. He was the principal Indian sage who predicted the availability of water in Mars about 1500 years ago. His valuable insights about the space and universe become the study of modern scientists. He identified that the moon and other planets are glistening because of sunlight. His adjacent contemporaries Aryabhata and Brahmagupta could not compare with the acceptance of Varahamihira.^[1] His Astrological talent promoted was one among the nine Gems of the emperor Vikramaditya and Chandragupta. The minute observations awarded the most reputed exaltation among the Navaratnas of the court of Vikramaditya.

Kalidasa in his book Jyotir Vidhabharanam has admired the role of Varahamihira through the verses–

[...]^[2]

Ibn Batuta and Al-Baruni were two prominent Arab travelers who had visited ancient India specially to pursue Astrology. By their translations they had induced German scholars to come to India to study traditional Astrology and Vedic literature. The Ancestors of Aryabhata, and Varahamihira declared that earth was spherical in shape. Ever in the history of science he was the first to claim that some “force” might be keeping bodies stuck to the round earth. Later the force has been called as gravity. He constructed Merustambh 2200 years ago for doing research on astronomy. His great work called Panchsidhanthika summarizes the earlier astronomical treatise such as Surya Siddhanta, Romaka Siddhanta, Paulisa Siddhanta, Vasishtha Siddhanta and Paitama Siddhanta. He proposed that the Moon and planets are lustrous not because of their own light but due to sunlight. Another significant contribution of Varahamihira is the encyclopedic Brihat-Samhita covering wide range of subjects covering astrology, planetary movements, eclipses, star effects, rainfall, clouds, and symptoms of male and female, domestic animals, gems, pearls and propitiating rituals. He wrote on all the three main branches of Jyotisha (Ganita-Samhita and Hora) covered under his great works named as Brihat Jataka, Laghu Jataka, Samasa Samhita, Brihat Yogayatra, Yoga yatra, Dikkani Yatra, Vivaha Patala and Daivajna Vallabha (apocryphal). Varahamihira’s mathematical work includes the discovery of the trigonometric formulas. He improved the accuracy of the sine tables of Aryabhata. He defined the algebraic properties of zero as well as of negative numbers. Furthermore, he was the first mathematician who discovered the version of Pascal’s triangle which is useful to calculate the binomial coefficients.

He made some significant observations about the moon specializing the field of ecology, hydrology and geology. His claimed that plants and termites serve as indicators of underground water is now receiving attention in scientific world and Vasthu-Astrology. His mastery of Sanskrit grammar and poetic meter enabled him to express himself in a unique style. His encyclopedic knowledge and lively presentation of subjects of astrology and astronomy, made him maestro. His style of writing put him on as high a pedestal in Astrology as Kautilya’s in Political philosophy, Manu’s in Law or Panini’s in Grammar. He narrated the science of Astrology as a vast ocean and very difficult for ordinary people to cross it. The modern rationalist scientists still argue about the scientific aspect of Astrology as it consists of several streams pertaining to human life and other creations. With half-baked knowledge, they stick on the streams such as prediction, match-making and mythical belief scaling with the minimal methodologies. The thesis generalize that the Magnum Opus emerged in the field of Astrology covers variegated branches of subjects and the contributions made by the Stalwarts could not be denied by the known and knowable personalities in this world. The facts connected with transition of moon, entry of moon in specified stars, pregnancy of clouds, rainfall attached with lunar movements, falling comets, earthquake, propitiation of the lords of the Moon are still stands the subject of concurrent research. Even in science, certain aspects are verifiable and other stand controversial. Instead of finding the best method to analyze the subject, undervaluation of the same with rational knowledge will not bear any common objective. If the true value of Astrology is below average under scientific norms, the subject might have eliminated from this world ever before.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Meera Sashithal. Free Press Online Journal; Published on Oct 03, 2015.

[2]:

The knowledge Structure in Amarakosha (2011) Published by Shivaja.S.Nair; Dept. of Sanskrit Studies; University of Hyderabd; Chap. 2.2; PP.11