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About Vriddha Vasishta Siddhanta
[Written by Sreenadh OG & Veneet Kumar]
Certainly there lived many Vasishtas - evident from the fact that we have many Samhita
texts such as multiple Vasishta Samhitas, Vriddha Vasishta Samhita and Jagan Mohana
ascribed to Vasishta. The same is the case with Siddhantas - Vasishta Siddhanta and
Vriddha Vasishta Siddhanta are known. The same could be the case with Hora text
ascribed to Vasishta as well. The Vasishta Siddhantas known to me are –
1) Ancient Vasishta Siddhanta referenced by Mihira: Varaha Mihira in Pancha
Siddhantika refers to Vasishta Siddhanta and some portion of Pancha siddhantika
are based on this text. (This text is unavailable)
2) A text named Vriddha Vasishta Siddhanta is available. RN Rai dates this text to a
period around 9th century AD. (The article in which he does the same is attached
along with). David Pingree refers to this text in his compilation : "A descriptive
catalogue of the Sanskrit astronomical manuscripts preserved at the Maharaja
Man Singh II Museum in Jaipur, India", Page number 16. Available in Google
Books at:
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=5w9zayTJsJEC&printsec=frontcover&source
=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false) (This text is available)
This write-up is about the second text in the above list, i.e. Vriddha Vasishta
Siddhanta. This text is also known by the name Viswa Prakasa and is written in the
form of a dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Vamadeva. Vriddha Vasishta is a
laterday sage in the lineage of Vasishta. This text certainly provides many quotable
quotes. Let me quote some beginning quotes from this text.

ः  ः 

 .

  .

 
       .

who is supreme. who is peaceful and who is of the form of time]
ं
ऽ !  "#$%& '( ) *+. who is the supreme soul. */. *-
. who is the object of the meditation of yogis.   ं 1  [Salutations to Vishnu. who is of the form of consciousness. .

0.

asked (the following)] + 456   789 6 ! 
4 * 5 ः ऽ :4- 
ू* !  +
3  [O teacher! O the knower of dharma! O the one with a peaceful soul! O the knower of past.1232  [In Naiminisharanya. who was seated comfortably. present and future! O the ocean of mercy! O sage! All the shastras have been studied by me by your grace]  
* 58  9 8 1< . after greeting (the great sage) Vasishtha. the land of gods. the great brahmana named Vamadeva.

8 ( 8  .

Therefore. 
ः ==& 9. the eye of the Veda. .2 !
ऽ. grant me (the knowledge) of Jyotisha shastra] */ >  * 4+ * 4+ ? (   . . ू23  4  [All those shastras appear useless to me without the Jyotisha.

0.

123*  ः  ू आ  < 6
. .

ू<. as I heard (it) from Brahma] This quote shows that Jyotish is taught by Brahma to Vasishta. *म. There might be Hora and Samhita texts as well ascribed to this tradition. ? A5  [Vasishtha said: O greatly fortunate one! Excellent is the question which you are asking me. Here the discussion is about Siddhanta Skandha (astronomical mathematics) taught by Brahma to sage Vasishta. =& 9. I shall tell this knowledge in detail.

+C& ः 5( 5D  "!  .

E F ॄH <.

58. created the Jyotisha shastra] 2!. *+ू*
. HiranyaGarbha and upon being requested by the groups of sages. after learning it entirely from the First Purusha.+
ू <5
 2 6  [Earlier lord Brahma. 1!.

!
 +5I .

. and is the blameless eyes of those who know the movements of planets (to avail knowledge about past-present-future)] 3!& . is comprised of a collection of tender padas (shlokas). 
5. 6
+&7  [This is that shastra. म?0 ! . It is (also called) Vishwa-Prakasha (the ‘light on the world’ or the ‘light on everything’). which is crystal clear. + JD  Jू . and is eternal. is a secret and is of the nature of the knowledge of Adhyatma (spirituality).

 Mऽ. !K L! 9. N.

& .

=. Grammar is the mouth. These are the six limbs of the Vedas] !ः +& "  9 A ू4
 . . +5 & . Shiksha is the nose. 
   य .  ?+  
R &8  [Prosody or Chanda shastra are the feet. Nirukta (etymology) are the ears. 
CQ. ौऽ+Q. Jyotisha are the two eyes. Kalpa Shastra are the hands.+ ः $   '. !ः .

0.

E 5 E5& + 5?S
& .

A9  [Since Jyotishsastra is the eyes of the Vedas. it is the most important of all the limbs of the Vedas.+C
".+V & ू*W. who possesses all other limbs in his body. but is deprived of eyes. and so is the case of Jyotishastra among the limbs of Vedas. 10  . is nothing] Eyes are one of the most important limbs. ब+"ब <F ौ+& ू 1% &   ौ ः ब  
Q &  9 !+ं  A "  U4 ! . A man.

From the Vedic perspective astrologia is Kalavidhana sastra (the science of time measurement) and Calendar calculations are given maximum importance. . Those Yajnas are said to dependent on time. 'X.3 [The Vedas were created for performing Yajnas. From this shastra (Jyotisha). Therefore. the knowledge of time comes. the supremacy of Jyotisha amongst the limbs of the Vedas is established] Use of astrologia and especially astrological mathematics in Calendar and Ephemeris (Panchanga) calculations is emphasized here. ॄ H ः =& 9.

should be studied by the Brahmins.000 years is the period of divine activity. gods.400 divine years are equal to 17. "ि ^& JD ॅ 8` &  "! म? & (+ 12  [After creating the Jyotisha-chakra for 17064000 years.e. verse 24 reads: “47.400 divine years passed while the God Brahmâ was employed in creating animate and inanimate things. After knowing it properly. planets. . In other words.+:D ?ः.' Since one divine year equals 360 solar years. the planets positioned in the beginning of Aries were put into a non-ending circular motion by Lord Brahma] 17. Sûrya-Siddhânta. since Jyotish sastra is useful in timing of Yajnas in proper muhurtas) Jyotish sastra. 47. and only then did the period of 'cosmic evolution' begin”.064.ऽ ! . moksha as well as fame] *1ंR =\ब.064. which is meritorious and secret. Thus the above sloka states that at the beginning of Kalpa (at the beginning of creation) all planets were at the beginning of Aries.000 years. demons.064.000 solar years. dharma. stars. \11  [Therefore (i. YD U+ *Z [
 ः !<F 4F म. . and the rest. the present kalpa on earth began with a period of divine activity lasting 17. Chapter 1. one obtains wealth..

8\"!a +ू ?
UW (.

b$ -य. ॅ *. * .

. .c & ू .

E "5 !. Because of this (force) it rotates quickly. *1ंR !K 4++Mू. The planets moves towards the east with (their respective) speeds] The 1st line of this sloka seems to be missing 2 letters.13  [The bha-chakra is moved by the force of gravitation (dragged by the flow of Vayu named Pravaha) from west (towards the east). even though planets are present in it.

c \ <  1!."! (
+म? \  !K  "! + !K .

e. In the beginning of a yuga. first day of bright fortnight in the month of Chaitra). the Tithi was Madhu (Chaitra) Shukla Pratipada (i. the planets are at the beginning of Aries. Moon too was at the beginning of Aries evident from the fact that it was a Sukla Pratipada Tithi. the Mridu-Patas(nodes of the Moon.  & 14 + [In the beginning of creation. Moon placed very near to Sun which is in Aries.)] Please note that at the beginning of creation all the planets were at the beginning of Aries. Rahu and . Rahu and Ketu) are placed at a different position (i. at a position different from the beginning of Aries. But. At that time Sun and other planets were at the beginning of Aries.e.

. Rohini and Autumnal equinox in Mula Nakshatra. Middle of Rohini Nakshatra) Interesting are the subject dealt within this text and it seems to borrow much info from Surya Siddhanta.000 – .e.4 Ketu are thought to be placed in the line bisecting the zodiac – i. the line joining the joint of Cancer-Leo and Capricorn-Aquarius. (i.e. . The equinoxes are thought to be placed along Rohini-Mula axis with vernal equinox in the Nakshatra of Brahma (Nakshatra of Creation) – i. Autumnal equinox in 0 deg Mula Nakshatra and Vernal equinox in 16 deg 40 min of Taurus Sign.e.