Elements of Traditional Indian Astronomy: Dr. Neeraj Chaubey

Elements of Traditional
Indian Astronomy
By
Dr. Neeraj Chaubey
FACULTY TO THE DIRECTOR, KNIT, SULTANPUR – 228118, U.P.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, DST (GOVT. OF INDIA) PROJECT
DEPTT. OF MATHS AND ASTRONOMY, LUCKNOW UNIVERSITY
CORRESPONDENCE / CAMP:1/76, VIKRANT KHAND, GOMTINAGAR, LUCKNOW-10
Preamble:
Foundation of Traditional Indian Astronomy is the
traditional Indian calendar known as Panchanga.
It is composed of five elements:
• Tithi - (Corresponding in approximate

likeness to the date of lunar month)
• The Vara - (The day of the week)
• The Nakshatra- (The part of ecliptic in which moon is
situated)
• The Yoga - (Based on the sum of the longitude
of the Sun and Moon)
• Karana - (The half of a Tithi)
Panchanga (contd…)
• In modern times the Panchang also contain dates
according to European & Hijri (muslim) systems.
Thus they are globally feasible.
• Duration of day light, the time of rising and setting

of Sun and Moon, the position of planets on each
date of every month, full details of Lunar and Solar
eclipses falling in the samvat / year etc. are also
mentioned in the Panchang.
• Panchangs are made available to the public much

prior to the commencement of every year.
However, the phenomenon narrated in Panchanga
for the year is correct and precise.
Five basic elements of Panchang
Tithi:
• The difference of the longitudes of the Moon and the
Sun determines the astronomical Tithi.
• When the difference lies between 0 ° and 12°, it is the
first Tithi known as Pratipada. When the difference lies
between the 12 ° and 24 °, it is the second tithi called Dvitiya,
and so on.
• There are thirty Tithis in each Lunar month.
• The Tithi can change from the nth to the (n+1)th at any
odd time of the day or night. Hence, ending moment of
Tithi is given in panchang.
• Indian units of time are Ghati (= 1/60 of a day of 24 hrs.)
• The equation is as follows:
1 Ghati = 1/60 of 1 day
1 Pala = 1/60 of 1 Ghati
1 Vipala = 1/60 Pala
• These deductions are made on the basis of the
exact time of sunrise of that particular day. For
example if against a particular Tithi (say 5th) the
time shown is 4 Ghati 51 Palas, than it means that
the 5th Tithi ended at 4 Ghatis 51 Palas after
sunrise of that particular day.
• The particular Tithi at the moment of sunrise is

regarded as the Tithi for that day & following night.
• In the example quoted above, the Tithi will be cited

as Panchami (the 5th Tithi throughout that day), in
spite of the fact that the astronomical 5th Tithi
ended at 451/60 Ghatis or about two hours after
sunrise.
- The astronomical Tithis are of unequal duration
because the longitudes of sun and the moon do not
increase at a uniform rate. They change in
accordance with Kepler’s Laws. Hence, the
astronomical Tithi may be shorter or longer from one
sunrise to the next.
- A Tithi longer than 24 hours may begin a little before
sunrise on that particular day and end a little after
sunrise on the next day. Hence, the same Tithi will
occur on two consecutive days.
- As the length of a Lunar month is about 291/2 and
the same is divided in to 30 Tithis, the average
length of 1 single Tithi is bound to be less than 1
day. Hence, more Tithis get dropped rather than
being repeated.
TITHI KSHAYA
- The loss of tithis is termed as 'Tithi Kshaya'
THE PAKSHA
Krishna Paksha : Half month following the full

moon is called Krishna Paksha, the black half of
the month
Shukla Paksha : Half month following the new

moon is called Shukla Paksha, the white half of
the month
THE VARA
- It is the day of the week which also tallies
with the European System
THE NAKSHATRA
- The Ecliptic is divided into 27 equal parts.

Each part is called Nakshatra
- Examples ; Ashvani, Bharni, Krittika etc.

THE YOGA
- The sum of the longitudes of sun and
moon determines the yoga.
THE KARANA
- A karana is half a tithi.
- First half of the first tithi(pratipada) in the

dark semi-month is Karana-balava and the
second half is Kaulava.
THE LAGNA
- The lagna at any instant is the part of the
ecliptic which is crossing the eastern horizon
at that instant
THE MONTH
- Traditional Hindu Calender

- Muslim Calender
- Civil Month in terms of Hindu Calender
- Civil Solar Month
- Sankranti
- Acceptability as Widespread over the land
- Extra Lunar Month : Adhi-Masa
THE YEAR
- Year is the most pertinent unit of time.
- Sidereal Year
- Uttarayana and Dakshinayana
- Length of the year according to Surya Siddhanta is
365 days 6 hrs. 12 minutes 36.56 seconds
- Length of the tropical year as prevalent in modern
day astronomy is 24 minutes shorter
- The current year is
* 2066 Samvat year
* 2009 Christian year
* 1430-31 Hijri year
* 1416-17 Fasli year
* 1931 Saka year
* 1415 Bangla year
THE HOROSCOPE
- The horoscope is a statement, in a tabular form, of

the position of sun, moon, five planets, Rahu and
Ketu (ascending & descending nodes of moon's
orbit)
- Three parameters are essential for casting any

- horoscope for any occurrence;
* date
* time
* place
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. SURYA SIDDHANTA
2. Kalidasa (4 Century A.D.)
RITUSAMHARA
3. JYOTISHA VEDANGA
4. Journal of Bihar and Orissa Research Society 21 (1935)
5. SOMA SIDDHANTA
6. SIDDHANTA SARVBHAUMA
7. PANCHANGA GOSHTHI
(Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi)
Nov. 19-20, 1968
8. Indian Nautical Almanac
BIBLIOGRAPHY (contd..)
9. P.V.Kane,
HISTORY OF DHARMA SHASTRA
10. EVERYDAY SCIENCE 91965)

11. R.N.Note,
CONCEPT OF FICTITIOUS MOON
12. EPIGRAPHICA INDICA, Vol. I, p. 340
13. PANCHANGA TATVA
(Nirnaya Sagar Press, Mumbai)
14. Aryabhatt,
THE ARYABHATIYA
(Brij Bhushan Das & Sons, Benaras)
BIBLIOGRAPHY (contd..)
15. VIDYAMADHAVEEYA
( Govt. Sanskrit Library, Mysore)
16. JYOTISH SIDDHANTA SARA

(Nawal Kishore Press, Lucknow)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
For the present exposition, I would like to pay my sincere thanks
to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of
India, the funding agency for the Project on Celestial Mechanics
running in Collaboration with Dr. Alka Mishra of Department of
Mathematics and Astronomy, Lucknow University, as the facts
presented over here have come to light during the investigations
under the same.
Further, special thanks are due to the Department of Human

Resources, Government of India and DEI, Agra for providing me
the valuable opportunity for presenting this exposition here
amongst this distinguished galaxy of investigators, which could
not be possible without the special endeavour of Dr Satya
Srivastava who has coordinated for the same and has
dedicatedly taken pains over it. Most heartily thanks go to her.

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Elements of Traditional

It is composed of five elements:

• Tithi - (Corresponding in approximate

• Duration of day light, the time of rising and setting

• Panchangs are made available to the public much

• The particular Tithi at the moment of sunrise is

• In the example quoted above, the Tithi will be cited

Krishna Paksha : Half month following the full

Shukla Paksha : Half month following the new

- The Ecliptic is divided into 27 equal parts.

- Examples ; Ashvani, Bharni, Krittika etc.

- A karana is half a tithi.

- First half of the first tithi(pratipada) in the

- Traditional Hindu Calender

- The horoscope is a statement, in a tabular form, of

- Three parameters are essential for casting any

10. EVERYDAY SCIENCE 91965)

16. JYOTISH SIDDHANTA SARA

Further, special thanks are due to the Department of Human

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