Orion revisited

The biggest discovery of 2024,according to me, is the decipherment of the Indus script by a person, who calls himself as Yajnadevam. He is an IT specialist and has great proficiency in Sanskrit. His decipherment appears to be correct as no one so far has been able to falsify it.

Yajnadevam's major finding is that the IVC language is none other than Vedic Sanskrit and IVC script is the great grandmother of Bramhi, our ancient script. What Yajnadevam has found further is equally breathtaking. In many cases the texts found on IVC seals and tablets are quotes and words from our oldest scripture, Rigveda.

Yajnadevam's discovery has one major implication for ancient Indian history. It pushes back Vedic period by another couple of thousand years. Can we corroborate this with existing evidence is the question.

About a century ago Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak tried to date, in his book named as Orion, Rigveda and other Vedic scriptures by using positions of star asterisms, which change because of the motion of the earth. I tried a similar exercise, but now with the help of AI. And this is what I have found.

Two of our scriptures, Taittariya Sanhita of Krlshna Yajurveda and Atharva Veda have suktas, known as Nakshatra Sukta that describe the 27 or 28 star asterisms that are seen along the Zodiac, or ecplitic, path of the sun in the sky round the year.

What I found that in both these scriptures the first asterism that is mentioned is surprisingly not Ashvini (अश्विनी) as we do today, but Krittika (कृत्तिका)or Pleides.

Why was it done so? There has to be a reason. According to me the simple reason was that it was the first asterism, the sun crossed, when it started its northern journey each year. (उत्तरायण)

Here we come across our first difficulty. What do we assume the starting date of this Northern journey? 22nd December, when the Sun starts moving to north from its southernmost location I.e. 24.5 deg.due south of Earth's equator or 21st March, when it starts Northward journey from the Zenith point above equator at 0 deg.

Whatever point we chose, one fact is clear. Since Krittika or Pleides is the first asterism, the sun would have to be in that position in the sky at the start of the year.

The calculations are laborious and long and it took Lokmanya probably months. I just asked AI and within seconds I got answers.

If we assume 21st March of our present calendar or Spring equinox as Uttarayan or starting point of the year, the sun was in Pleides on that day in 2470 BCE or some 4500 years ago.

On the contrary, if we assume 22nd December of our present calendar or the winter solstice as the starting point of the year or Uttarayan, the sun was in pleides on that day in awesome 3970 BCE or some 6000 years ago.

If you ask me, the winter solstice appears to be a more probable date to start the new year because this is the day when The Sun really starts its Northern Journey. Also Makar Sankrati, which was introduced much much later, may be at the time of Buddha (6th century BCE), is also known as the start of Uttarayan. Notice that it is only 22 days later from 22nd December.

Why do I say that Sankranti was introduced later has solid reasons. But more about that sometime later.

So if Yajurveda and Atharva vedas were composed 6000 years ago, it perfectly matches Yajnadevam's decipherment theory and use of Rigveda quotes on IVC seals and tablets.

I am not a person, who usually succumbs to euphoria easily. Yet to find that our oldest scripture that we still read and worship, or the Gayatri Mantra that I recite each morning, was composed some 6000 years back, gives me goosebumps. What about you?

12th March 2025