Odisha Review January - 2012 Astrology, Astronomy and Spiritualism in µSiddhanta Darpana¶: A Comparison with Similar Thoughts Dr. K.C. Sarangi Jyotisham api tatjyotih «««« Jnanam jneyam jnanagamyam ««« (Gita, Chapter 13, Verse-18) The creator of µSiddhanta Darpana¶ was indeed one among millions. He worked and struggled in the solitude to µhear the unheard and glimpse the invisible¶. µSiddhanta Darpana¶ is an immortal this great book. One may, therefore, benefit creation of the famous Odia astrologer Samanta the knowledge of all astrological literature by Chandrasekhar. Astrology emanates from the reading this one great book on astrology. Vedic thoughts. It is immensely useful for the Secondly, the writer, Late Samanta society. Aruna Kumar Upadhyaya, in his Chandrasekhara, wherever, had not explained translation of µSiddhanta Darpana¶ in Devnagari the astrological theories of the past, he had, script writes: at least, given indication how to approach the same. Last but not least, Chandrasekhara had µUdwesya Jyotisa¶ is known as the eyes of the made correction in the movement of the Moon. Vedas. Setting it apart, it is difficult to know In its correctness, it is equal to the modern the time of ancient literature and scriptures. astronomy. (Ibid, Preface-ii). Without knowing time of the scriptures, any discussion on the Sashtras may not be proper As a subject, the present astrology in and hence may not be understood in the proper India is taken into account from the period of context. (Preface i) Aryabhatta. However, there are rare astrological master-pieces like, µJyotisha Bhaskar¶, written by Upadhyaya further clarifies with specific the Divine teacher Brihaspati, which shines like reference to µSiddhanta Darpana¶: the Sun in the sphere of astrological sciences. This µSiddhanta Darpana¶ is useful in two ways. is not available in the public domain. References Hitherto, the disputed subjects in all about the same may only be available in the great astrological theories have found a solution in and exemplary Samhitas written by 34 UNESCO Kalinga Prize Spl. January - 2012 Odisha Review Sri Achyutananda, the rarest genius and the Saint scholars outside Odisha. Another hurdle was that who adorned the soil of Utkal during the regime though Samanta wrote in Sanskrit language but of king Prataprudra. In the ancient time, Magadha he used Odia scripts. Thanks, however, to was one of the richest places not only in India but Professor Joges Ch. Ray whose introduction also in the entire world. In the capital city of brought some recognition for this unprecedented Magadha, institutions were established for talent. imparting knowledge on µKhagola¶. Aryabhatta At that point of time, it was unsettled was the Principal Preceptor in one such institution. whether the earth is static or the Sun is static. The name of this capital city was µPuspapur¶ or When western scientists were of the opinion that µKusumapura¶ at that time which is the present the earth moves round and the Sun is stationary, Patna city. Since there was an apprehension of Samanta placed a completely different the invasion of Huns, Aryabhatta wrote a formulae proposition. Samanta said that the earth is static. (Sutra) to indicate the availability of astrological He assailed the western arguments saying that µif knowledge there. He writes: all the stars are illuminating as the Sun and all of aryabhatta stwiham, nigadati satyam. them spread light in all directions equally being kusumpure varcitam jnanam. static how then night dawns upon this earth¶. His Through the above couplet, Aryabhatta second argument was that µif all the planets are symbolically states that all astrological knowledge moving around their orbits, what makes the largest are available at Kusumapur. After Aryabhatta, planet, Brihaspati move so fast?¶ His reasonings Barahamihira and Bhaskar wrote about this great could scarcely be countered by the western mystical science basing on their respective studies scientists. Chandrasekhara had no scope to of scriptures. None of them, however, has telescope. His only instruments were two sticks explained what is the flow of the number in and his deep concentration on the sky. Whatever assessing the movement of the planets. However, may be the scientific position of his stand on the µSiddhanta Siromani¶ written by Bhaskar is one above issues, viewed from the present standard, of the standard treatise on astrology of present it is no exaggeration to say that it was a great day as observed by Sri Aruna Upadhyaya in his fortune for Odisha that such a talented son like preface to µSiddhanta Darpana¶. (P. XV). Samanta Chandrasekhara was born in its soil. Born though in a small princely state like In the Indian tradition among the Khandapara, which has little importance in the astrologers, Samanta Chandrasekhar and Bala world geography, Chandrasekhara had a Gangadhar Tilak were considered to be the tremendous sense of belonging for the state, its contemporaneous exponents. Whereas Tilak people and its highly adorable deities. Deeply studied English and modern Mathematics, moved by the culture of Odisha, he writes in Samanta Chandrasekhara had no scope to learn µSiddhanta Darpana¶: about these secular branches of studies. As a consequence, he had to struggle ceaselessly. yatra khetram pabitram vilasata sitarung mitra netrasya gatram, Furthermore, this rare genius and his immortal gotrayatratimatrah tadavayava sruta dipavatyo creation could not be appropriately recognized vicitrah by the western scholars nor even by Indian swasthanasthah padasthapita nijajanata devatah UNESCO Kalinga Prize Spl. 35 Odisha Review January - 2012 santi nitya tatradese dwija srestha nadinam uttama nadi martyah smartah smararta haricharanratah ca mahanandiiti vikshata sarvapapa pranodini utkalah stat kalighnah. tasyam nadyastu mahatmyam kathayami punah punah, (Prakasha 23, Verse-2). jashyam snatwa nara srestham dibyalokam In the State where the Kshetra and body abapnyati ( Chapter-2, Verse 4 & 5) of the lotus eyed Lord Krishna exist, the state Sukanti, a great sage of ancient India, brought wherein exist several mountains, the State where the Divine Mother Ganga ³papaghnim Janhabi in the temples, there is perennial Diwali and the bhaktabatsalam´ (the Divine Mother who loves deities though seated in their own respective all devotees and the destroyer of sins) to Utkal temples confer high status to their devotees, the (Chapter 2, Verse-23). Sukanti prayed the Divine State where the people apart from doing their jobs Mother who is µtrailokyapavini¶ to flow towards sincerely, also actively utter the holy name of God Purba Sagar i.e. Bay of Bengal. Moved by his and worship His lotus feet, the same Utkal State prayer, the Almighty Mother answered : may destroy the vices of µKaliyuga¶. The poet- mahanadi iti bikhyatam gamisyami atra sarbada astrologer asserts that the people of Odisha may bhagirathena anita jathartham papanashinee appear small considered from the angle of tasmat sataguna prokta twayaham duritapaha material progress. But they reveal divinity in their sarbada taba kirtistu sthasyati atra mahitale appearance µudra, proudha, prabhavo jayati ( Chapter 2,Verse 33 & 34) paribadhah sanadeshasya soyam¶. Such honour and sense of respect for Odia tradition, culture The Divine Mother said, µSon¶, your and people do find parallel comparison only in penance be completed without any obstacle. the descriptions in µKapila Samhita¶. The great When I will flow towards Purva Sagar (Bay of Saint Kapilacharya writes: Bengal), µI will not be known in my name. I will be known as Mahanadi from here¶. (Kapila sarbapapa haram desam udram debaistu kalpitam Samhita edited by Kedarnath Gabeshana srunudhwam kathyamanam hi vistarenasya bho dwijah, Pratisthana, Grantha Mandira 2000 P.113). tasmina odre sada santi krishnarkaparbatiharah Bhagiratha once could do this because of his atmic ekashya ekashya khetram tu sarbapapa consciousness, equity, equal-mindedness, pranasanam shunning of all material prosperities, keeping the (Chapter 2, Verse 2 & 3). bird-like mind quiet and peaceful in heart and doing the assigned work in an unattached manner. According to Kapilacharya, Utkal is a (Yoga Vasistham Ramayana, Nirvana Prakasana). State designed by the Divine to be the abode of So also could do the sage Sukanti in a like manner. Lord Krishna, Suryanarayana (the Sun God), Lord Similar was also the perseverance of µMaheswar¶ and Divine Mother µParvati¶. The Chandrasekhara who could bring the Jnana- greatest glory of the state is the river Mahanadi. Ganga for the humanity in the shape of µSiddhanta Kapila Samhita reveals that the river which flows Darpana¶. Such is our culture, such is our glory close to the lotus feet of Lord Neela-Madhaba is and such is the blessing of the Almighty for this the µDivine Mother¶ µ Suradhuni¶, Bhagirathi whose State and its people. The great sage, sacred water sanctifies the Indian soil and Indian Kapilacharya, was firmly of the opinion that Utkal people from time immemorial. is the greatest among all the states and such a 36 UNESCO Kalinga Prize Spl. January - 2012 Odisha Review state does not exist on the earth. Lord Purusottam the Almighty Father. According to Rig Veda is the king of this State. The principal deities of (10.121), the Lord known as µHiranya Garbha¶ this State µKrishnarka Parvati Hara¶, Lord was the first to exist. He then became the first Krishna, Lord Sun, Divine Mother Parvati and Lord of the creation. He was the sole Lord of all Lord Shiva all eternally reside in this State.