Ishwa helper Reged: 03/03/02 Posts: 553

Re: A question on "YUGAS" or "AGES" or Cycles. [Re: rajsand] #20739 - 09/20/02 04:21 AM Edit Reply Quote

Answers: 1. I have traced the references so far in the Smrti (Manu, Surya Siddhanta, BrhatHoraShastra, Mahabharata, etc.). Subhash Kak did the same for the Shruti. The Shruti have snapshot information, which presupposes a thorough knowledge of astronomy. (Veda Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas, was a Parasharya Vasishtha, which family is one of the famous specilized families of astronomy) 2. I left the Kaliyuga of 1200 years out to come to the number 10800. (Besides the information was obviously before Kaliyuga had started, because the calculations start from 13.902 BC upto 3102 BC, possible the Vaivasvata Manvantara period of the human calculation) Note, the information on the breath, I have read in a book on astronomy/astrology. So your information might be right. It's in our tradition. The number 108 = based on the number 9, a fundamental number: 9 x 9 = 81 (VastuShastra, even Tarot cards, probably from (Kalpa)Taru, had originally 80 cards, with the backside of all as the hidden 81st) or on 12 (Adityas), which gives 360 for a year (the RigVedic Mantr with' twelve spoked wheel') Number 9x12 = 108. If we calculate 20 x 108 we get 2160. If we calculate 40 x 108 we get 4320. This sequance is the basis for the computations in Hindu Manvantara astronomy. RigVeda IV.58.3 has:" Four are his horns, three are his feet, two are his head and seven are his hands." This means that 432 are followed by seven zeros: 4.320.000.000! So the snapshot of RigVeda reveals a thorough knwoledge of Manvantara computations found in much later Smrti works. It also means that the base is 108, but also precessional figures. RigVeda VIII.48.22 mentions 60.000 horses and 12.00 camels as gift. this gives the total number of 72.000, another important number: 72 (x1000). The base is 12. We get 24, 36, 72, 108, 216, 234, 432. The number 216 is very improtant for the precessions. The question about time being circular or anything else, I can't answer...yet.