Radha Saptami and Astronomical Insights
Veda Vyasa and Potanna Shrimad
Bhagavatam
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
Radha Saptami marks the
sacred occasion on which Surya Narayana is worshipped not merely as a source of
light, but as the very embodiment of time, motion, and cosmic order. In the
Bharatiya (Indian) Tradition, this reverence is never isolated from knowledge,
because ritual and understanding move together. It is precisely this
integration that Maharshi Veda Vyasa accomplished in Shrimad Bhagavatam, where
astronomy is not presented as abstraction, but transformed into living
narrative, making cosmic principles accessible to human comprehension.
The distinct greatness
of Maharshi Veda Vyasa is that, he transformed astronomy into stories, comprehensible
to human life, envisioned time as sons, the axis as Dhruva, motion as a
kingdom, and stability as a cosmic realm as the eternal legacy bestowed upon
humanity in his great Shri Madhbaghavatam. In the modern era, Padmashri Garikipati
Narasimha Rao in his most interesting and celebrated discourses, touching every
aspect of ancient literature, in his inimitable style, provided an amazing
interpretation, asserting that, within the traditions of Purana, Astronomy, and
Philosophy, there exist clear and strong foundations on these perspectives.
In this context, the
remarkable fact-based astronomical insights incorporated by Bummera Potanna in
his Telugu Shrimad Bhagavatam are extremely fascinating. The annual movement of
the Sun at the center of the universe is described as UTTARAYANA,
DAKSHINAYANA, and VISHUVA, signifying Sun’s apparent movements to northward
(UTTARAYANA) and southward (DAKSHINAYANA). Sun’s apparent
movement is slower, resulting in longer days and shorter nights in UTTARAYANA.
In DAKSHINAYANA, the movement is faster, leading to shorter days and
longer nights. During VISHUVA (Equinox), day and nights are equal, with
no increase or decrease.
When the Sun enters the
zodiac signs of Aries (Mesha) and Libra (Tula), day and nights are equal in
duration. From the day following the Sun’s entry into Aries, daylight gradually
increases while night decreases day by day. As the Sun enters Taurus, Gemini,
Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, each month witnesses an incremental increase of one Ghadi
in daytime and a corresponding decrease in nighttime. Conversely, when the Sun
enters Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces, each month sees a
reduction of one Ghadi in daytime and an increase in nighttime.
The Sun, riding upon
his chariot, takes one full day and night to complete a circuit around the
Manasottara Mountain, which has a circumference of 98,51,00, 000
Yojanas. To the east of Manasottara lies Devadhani the city of Indra, to the
south is Samyamani the city of Yama, to the west is Nimlochani the city of
Varuna, and to the north lies Vibhavari the city of the Moon. In accordance
with the visible movement of the celestial wheel, morning, midday, sunset, and
night come into being. Sunrise and Sunset serve as causes for activity and rest
in living beings.
While traveling from
the city of Indra to the city of Yama, the Sun traverses a distance of 2,37,75,000
Yojanas in fifteen Ghadis. From Yama’s city he proceeds to Varuna’s city, and
from there to Soma’s city. Thus, moving along with the Moon, Planets, and Stars,
the only Single Wheel called the Year, of the Sun’s Chariot possesses Twelve Spokes,
Six Rims, and Three Hubs. Thus. this single-wheeled chariot travels a distance
of 3,408,000 Yojanas in the span of one Muhurta.
Mount Meru, the Polar Center
located at the middle of the Earth, functions as the Axle of the Sun’s Chariot.
The Puranas describe the Sun as revolving around this Axle and Dhruva Loka
exists there, thus carrying a profound astronomical implication. The Sun
revolving around Meru symbolically conveys the Earth’s rotation around its own
axis. Dhruva star remains fixed above Mount Meru. The surrounding
constellations appear to revolve around it. This is a direct astronomical
observation. Since Dhruva does not move, it is called ‘The Immovable One.’ The
principle that stability is the foundation of cosmic motion is expressed in the
Puranas as well.
The winds bound to the
Sun’s Chariot regulate the flow of life across the worlds. These winds
influence the movement of clouds, rainfall, and changes in temperature. The
Puranas clearly state that celestial forces exert a direct influence on
physical life. The constellations that revolve around the Sun signify divisions
of time. The movement of stars itself constitutes time. Time is not an
independent entity, and motion itself is time.
Maharshi Veda Vyasa conveyed
this subtle principle through the form of Puranic narrative. Puranas are not
tales meant for ignorance. They are metaphors for knowledge. This is the marvel
of the Indian intellect, which made cosmic principles comprehensible even to
the common person without knowledge of mathematics. Thus, the story of Dhruva
also stands as an answer to fundamental questions such as what supports time,
how cosmic motion occurs, and why stability is essential. In Vyasa Maharshi’s
vision, a Purana is the axis that sustains time. Vyasa shaped this principle of
Dhruva into a narrative. That is the eternal legacy he has bestowed upon
humanity.
Jyeshtha, Shatabhisha,
Agastya, Yama, Agarak (the Mars), Shani (the Saturn), Guru (the Jupiter), Ravi
(the Sun), Shukra (the Venus), Chandra (the Moon), the Ashwini deities, Budha (the
Mercury), Rahu, Ketu, rest of all the stars, and in the heart Narayana, is the
divine body of Pundarikaksha who is composed of all deities. This Shinshu Mara chakra
is very sacred, and hence its form that shines in this astrological form should
be praised saying ‘Vandanam, Vandanam’ (Salutations, Salutations).
Below the Sun, at a
distance of ten thousand Yojanas, the planet Rahu, the lowest among demons and
is not fit for immortality, exists in a reverse path. The diameter of the solar
sphere has a spread of ten thousand Yojanas. The diameter of the Lunar Sphere
is 12000 Yojanas. During certain times, Rahu completely covers either the solar
sphere or the lunar sphere. Seeing that, the people living on the Earth say
that an eclipse has occurred. Fearing that Vishnu’s Sudarshana Chakra may come,
Rahu leaves the eclipse within five or six Ghadis. Below Rahu, at a distance of
ten thousand yojanas, Pisachas and Rakshasas remain serving, while Yakshas and
ghosts and spirits move about. Below the region where Yakshas, ghosts, and
spirits move, there exists the cloud sphere. This moves along with the wind.
Below the cloud sphere exists the Earth sphere.
Bhagavata by Vedavyasa
and its faithful rendering into Telugu by Bummera Potanna, explains such
wonderful, interesting, astronomical matters briefly, beautifully, and in a
manner easily understandable to all. It begins with the verse the meaning of
which is that, the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe are
established only by that Supreme Being. Creation itself comes into existence
only because of the existence of the Supreme Being.
Shrimad Bhagavata is
the essence of the story of Lord Mahavishnu and his incarnations, discoursed by
Sage Suta. The Universe has only one Supreme Being, who alone performs the acts
of Creation, Stabilization, and Destruction (Srushti, Sthiti, Laya) in the form
of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The Lord Vishnu who took 21 incarnations such as Sri
Rama, Sri Krishna, Vamana, Narasimha etc. granted auspiciousness to all. The
next and 22nd incarnation ‘Kalki’ is said to be due at the end of Kali
Yuga, to be born to a Brahmin named Vishnu Yasha.
Vedavyasa and Potanna
narrated the complete history of these incarnations in the Bhagavata text of
twelve skandhas (parts). Vedavyasa made his son Shuka Maharshi to study it in
its entirety, and he narrated it to King Parikshit. Even if the Vedas are read
a thousand times, liberation may not be obtained, but either by reading or by
merely hearing Bhagavata, liberation is attained. On the sacred occasion of
Radha Saptami, Sage Vyasa’s vision of the axis of time and the vast expanse of
astronomical knowledge stands par excellence, supreme and outstanding, for
discerning followers of Sanatana Dharma.
(PHOTOS COURTESY RAMA BHAKTA JOGESH)
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