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Ayanamsa
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Path taken by the point of vernal equinox along the ecliptic over the past 6000 years.

Ayanamsa (Sanskrit ayana: ayana "movement" + aa "component"),

also ayanabhga (Sk. bhga "portion"), is the Sanskrit term in Indian astronomy for the amount
of precession.[1][not in citation given] In astrology, this is the longitudinal difference between
the Tropical (Syana) and Sidereal (Nirayana) zodiacs.[citation needed] In astronomy too, this is the
difference between the length of a tropical year (365.2422 rotations of the earth) and a sidereal year
(365.2563 rotations) required to complete one orbit relative to the sun (tropical) or stars (sidereal).
[citation needed]

Overview[edit]
Ayanamsa is now defined[by who?] as the angle by which the sidereal ecliptic longitude of a celestial
body is less than its tropical ecliptic longitude. Ayanamsa is mostly assumed to be close to be 24
today, according to N. C. Lahiri 23.85 as of 2000. This value would correspond to a coincidence of
the sidereal with the tropical zodiac in or near the year 285 AD, roughly compatible with the
assumption that the tradition of the tropical zodiac as current in Western astrology was fixed
by Ptolemy in the 2nd century.
To be precise, the so-called "Lahiri Ayanamsha" is a misnomer because N. C. Lahiri borrowed this
Chitra-pakshiya Ayanamsha from its inventors Ketkar Brothers who propounded this idea three
decades before him, and Lahiri never claimed any credit. But he popularized it due to his influence
on Pt Jawaharlal Nehru who allowed Lahiri's ideas to dominate in reforming national calendar of
India. According to this theory, the sidereal position of Spica (alpha-Virginis, assumed to be the
ancient Chitra) should be exactly 180 degrees as stated in Suryasiddhaanta, while both sidereal and
tropical zodiacs should coincide at the time of zero ayanamsha. Although Suryasiddhaanta and other
ancient texts state that ayanamsha was zero in 499 AD (Mesha Sankranti), N C Lahiri insisted on
Spica's identification as Chitra and concluded that Spica was the nearest bright star adjacent to 180
degrees, hence resting on Spica he concluded that tropical position of Spica being zero in 285 AD
must be the zero point of Ayanamsha too.
S.K Kar Sept 1954
Actually the current orthodox Panchangas (the Chaitra Panchangas also) or Panjikas Show Apr 13
or Apr 14 as the beginning of the sidereal Nirayana year. Due to the accumulated error of about 3
degrees in the motion of the sun, i.e. 3 days in the calendar date; but if we are to correct the
position, the Nirayana sidereal year should begin on Apr 10 or 11 i.e. a concession of 20 degrees
should be given instead of 23 degrees.
Astrological Magazine, February 1955
The Calendar Reform Committee has proposed the adoption of 23d 15m 0s as Ayanamsa in order
to avoid opposition from the public. The Chaitra school too has come into being in order to avoid
public opposition. Neither of these, however, is in conformity with the truth. S.K.Kar on Chitra
paksha Ayanamsa
The followers of Chitra Paksha Ayanamsa have no valid and authoritative document in their favour
for accepting a precessional concession of about 23d 15m for the present.
Sri Lahiri and Professor Vaidya pointed out that if any change is introduced in the ayanamsa at this
stage, The calendar for Four years so far calculated will require a thorough revision involving a great
amount of labour and time. It was, however, agreed that if the difference be small such as one or two
minutes of arc, the labour involved in the revision would not be much.
"If Sri N.C Lahiri Ayanamsa is correct, then why did Sri N.C Lahiri agree to change one or two
minutes of Arc in his Ayanamsa? Why did he mention about Labour and recalculation of
Panchangas?"

The sidereal ecliptic longitude of a celestial body is its longitude on

the ecliptic defined with respect to the "fixed" stars.

The tropical ecliptic longitude of a celestial body is its longitude on

the ecliptic defined with respect to the vernal equinox point.
Since the vernal equinox point precesses westwards at a rate of about 50".29 per year (the rate has
been accelerating) with respect to the fixed stars, the longitude of a fixed body defined with respect
to it will increase slowly. On the other hand, since the stars "do not move" (this ignores the effect
of proper motion) the longitude of a fixed body defined with respect to them will never change.
Traditional Vedic astrology (Jyotisha) uses a system of sidereal longitude. When the practitioners of
these schools of astrology use modern astronomical calculations to determine the position of
celestial bodies, they need to take into account the difference caused by the different reference point
used in specifying the longitude, and this they call the ayanamsa. [citation needed]
Some orthodox schools of Vedic astrology reject modern astronomy and still base their computations
upon traditional texts and treatises, mostly following the Surya Siddhanta or treatises based on it.
They use ayanmsa according to Surya Siddhnta, [2] in which ayanmsa rises from 0 to +27 during
1800 years, then decreases to 0 and further to -27, thereafter rising again, thus oscillating within a
rage of 27 instead of cyclically moving in a circle as modern concept of ayanmsa suggests.
Manjula advocated a cyclical concept of ayanmsa, but it could not gain currency among almanac
makers. In West Theon (ca. 4th century AD) was the earliest known advocate of Surya Siddhntic
type of ayanmsa (although Theon said trepidation varied within a rage of 8 only : Surya
Siddhntic trepidation was deduced by multiplying 90 with 0.3, Theon multiplied 27 again with 0.3
to get 8 ). This oscillating type of ayanmsa, known as trepidation, was a favourite of Indian, Arab
and European astrologers and astronomers till the time of Copernicus. Modern science does not
support the idea of trepidation or oscillating ayanmsa. 490 AD is regarded as the zero date of this
type of ayanmsa according to Surya Siddhnta, Aryabhatiya and other ancient treatises. Thus the
present value of traditional ayanmsa is nearly +22.64, which is less than modern the value of
about +24.
After 2299 AD, the traditional ayanmsa will start decreasing from the maximum value of +27, while
modern value will keep on increasing. Equations of sunrise and ascendant (lagna) need accurate
value of ayanmsa, upon which all important components of religious almanac and horoscopes are
based in India.
The ayanamsha describes the increasing gap between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs. The
ayanamsa, changes continually through the Precession of the Equinoxes at the rate of
approximately 50" a year, is currently about 24 (Lahiri).
Western Astrologers Fagan and Bradley computed it at 24 degrees in 1950; however, there are
various values in use in India. While the general consensus among Western siderealists is that the
star Alcyon represents the first point of Aries, differences arise because of the indefinite ancient
boundaries of the constellation of Aries. Indian definition of astrological signs is not based on
constellations but on equal angular division of sky, which makes it difficult to define signs in terms of
stars and constellations. This is the source of controversy about ayanamsha. [citation needed]

References[edit]
1. Jump up^ Monier-Williams, 'm. (in astron.) the amount of precession'

2. Jump up^ burgess, Ebenezer (1858). The Surya Siddhantha, a

Textbook of Hindu Astronoy. Aerican Oriental Society. Chapter 3,
Verse 9-12.

External links[edit]
Ayanamsa definitions at Best Knowns

[show]

Hindu astrology

[fr:Ayanamsa]
Categories:
Hindu astrology
Technical factors of astrology
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