Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Jain astronomy provides an important link between Vedic astronomy and classical Hindu astronomy. Jain texts such as Jambudvipaprajnapti, Suryaprajnapti, and Chandraprajnapti have detailed information on the apparent motion of sun, moon, planets, and stars. In this book, important features of Jain astronomy have been discussed and compared with Vedic astronomy and classical Hindu astronomy. The principle behind the division of sky in nakshatras has been explained and the span of nakshatras in Jain astronomy has been calculated. Based on the changing position of sun in the background of stars during solstices and equinoxes, the date of the astronomical observations described in Jain texts has been estimated. It is proposed that the zero point of Jain astronomy as well as Malava era coincides with the yogatara of Ashwini, Hamal, being at vernal equinox in 702 BCE.

The chronology of ancient India is based on counting backward and forward from two sheet anchors of Indian history - the identification of Sandrokottos of Greek accounts with Chandragupta Maurya and the identification of Devanampriya Priyadarshi of major rock edicts with Ashoka Maurya. For Sandrokottos there is another candidate which fits better, Chandragupta I of Imperial Gupta dynasty. Thus most of ancient Indian chronology is based on a single set of evidence, major rock edicts of Devanampriya Priyadarshi. While Devanampriya Priyadarshi attributes his conversion to Buddhism to Kalinga war, there is no mention of Kalinga war in all the available literature about Ashoka Maurya. In this book it is proposed that the identification of Devanampriya Priyadarshi with Ashoka Maurya is wrong and Devanampriya Priyadarshi should be identified with Kumaragupta I, the great grandson of Chandragupta I of Imperial Gupta dynasty. Based on this identification, a new chronology of ancient Indian history has been proposed. (Note: This book has been compiled by extracting information from my trilogy on Indian history. It does not contain any new information that is not already there in the books "India before Alexander: A New Chronology", "India after Alexander: The Age of Vikramadityas", and "India after Vikramaditya: The Melting Pot".)

Indian astronomical texts give the coordinates of the yogataras or junction stars of nakshatras. These coordinates have been interpreted as polar coordinates, which depend on the position of the north celestial pole. Polar coordinates of a star should change with time due to precession. However, different astronomical texts written over many centuries give same coordinates for most yogataras. This has resulted in Indian astronomers being called incompetent, who did not observe the positions of the stars with accuracy. In this book it is proposed that Indian astronomers were using sidereal ecliptic coordinates, which do not change with time to a significant extent. This understanding has led to the discovery of the original boundaries of nakshatras. Based on these boundaries of nakshatras and the changing position of sun in the background of nakshatras during solstices, the dates of astronomical text Vedanga Jyotisha and astronomer Varahamihira have been reexamined. Based on the zero points of Vedic astronomy, the values of ayanamsha have been calculated.

This is a reprint of the original 1999 edition with minor editorial changes. The Rigveda is the first book of humankind and the most sacred scripture of Hinduism. It also happens to be the most ill-understood book of our times. Despite the extensive study by academic and religious scholars, the purpose and meaning of the Rigveda and many ancient Hindu scriptures remain unclear. In this pathbreaking book, the discovery of the Rigveda as a book of ancient cosmology is described, and related to the seals of ancient Indus Valley Civilization, thereby challenging our perception of humanity."The Vedas have always been lauded as containing the secrets of cosmogenesis. Raja Roy in his remarkable book shows how this is true not only from the yogic vison but according to the latest insights of modern physics. The book takes the reader on a vast panoramic journey through the universe of matter, mind and human history as well."David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri)Director, American Institute of Vedic Studies"Roy presents a new framework for the understanding of the Vedic hymns from the point of view of physics and then he draws parallels with recent theories on the nature of the universe. We celebrate the new path he has hewn through the bush of old scholarship."Professor Subhash KakOklahoma State University