Bhavishya Purana on Varaha Mihira

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Bhavishya

Purana on Varaha Mihira

- Written by Sreenadh OG

I came across a

unique quote present in Bhavishya Purana, which states that Mihira of Ujjain

came to Lanka to learn astrology. The quote is as follows –

Varahamihiracharyo

jyotiHsastra pravartakaH

Lankamagatya

tatraiva jyotiHsastramadheetavan

Jatakam phalitam

chaiva mookaprasna tathaditaH

Mleschair

vinasitam yattu vedanga jyotisham gati

Punarudharitam

tena tridha bhootam sanatanam

(Bhavishya

Purana, Chaturtha Khanda, Ashtama Khanda)

[Varaha Mihira, the propagator of

astrological knowledge, came to Lanka and learned astrology from here. He

learned – Jataka (Natal astrology),

Phalitam (predictive astrology in general such as Mundane astrology etc), and

Mooka Prashna (Silent question system that is part of Horory astrology). He

revived the Vedic astrology having 3 major branches that got destroyed by Non-vedic people]

I

just got this quote as quoted in a book and is yet to verify the context of the

above quote. The statement `Varahamihira came here in Lanka to learn astrology'

makes us feel that the above lines were either –

·

Written in Lanka OR

·

Written as stated by some one of Lanka

Anyway that is

another subject. The following points stated by the above quote should be noted

–

·

Varaha Mihira learned astrology from Lanka

·

Vedanga Jyotisha had numerous branches such as –

Jyotisha, Phalita, Mooka Prashna etc

·

Vedic astrology was destroyed by Mlecchas

(Non-Vedic people). But later Mihira revived, this branch of astrology. [This

reference points to the revival of Tropical Stellar Astrology by Mihira. It seems that Mihira was revered

by both Agama and Nigama people. Mihira accepted, adopted, and revived not only

Nigama (Vedic) astrology, but also Agama (non-vedic) astrology.

 

It is fun to

note that there is one more Purana viz – Samba Purana which mentions Varaha

Mihira. Samba Purana mentions Brihat Samhita while discussing the construction

of idols of Surya, Vishnu etc. Some scholars suggest 7th or 8th

century period as the period of origin of these two Puranas viz – Bhavishya

Purana and Samba Purana. This quote also points to the popularity Mihira gained

in India within

two centuries of his lifetime.

Everything seems fun and natural except the

undigested statement `Mihira came to Lanka and learned astrology from there'.

Did it really happen? It is certainly true that in North India

astrology got almost totally destroyed and become a neglected subject, after

the advent of Buddhits and Vedic Vaishnava Aryans. The popularity of Vedic

religion and Buddhism was a death blow to astrology in North India.

The credit for presence of this ancient Agama sasta goes to all the Agama

people viz – Saiva Agama, Naga Agama, Tantra Agama and Jain Agama people. Agama people, the indigenous culture and

people of India

from Sindhu-Sarasvati period onwards were enjoying excellent culture and

knowledge. Then came the Vedic religion along with the Aryan Brahmanic

Invasion. After the spreading Vedic religion first (BC 1400 – BC 500), then

Buddhism (BC 500 – AD 200), and then again the counter spread of Vedic religion

(AD 200 – AD 500), very little astrology was spared in the North. What ever

little Agama knowledge escaped the destruction was available only in the South

and Lanka (as preserved by the original native Agama people such as Saivaits,

Nagas, Tantrics and Jains running away to the south). It is from here that the

tide of astrological revival started again –

·

from Mihira (who learned from Lanka)

·

from Aryabhata (the jain who lived in Kerala)

·

Vararuchi (the out cast Brahman who migrated to

Kerala, and gained astrological knowledge from there. He was the father of

Haridatta, the originator of Parahita system of astronomical calculation.

Haridatta was popular as a near lunatic genius in the name Naranattu Bhrantan)

 

Again came the

next tide of destruction of non-vedic knowledge, this time form the south

itself, from Kerala, as Sri Sankaracharya! Again it was Dark Age for astrology but

revival period for Vedic knowledge, that lasted from 8th century AD

to 14th century AD. Then again came the revival as contributions of

Nrisimha Daivajna's family from Maharashtra (which contributed Nrishimha, Kamala kara

bhatta and numerous other scholars, more than 15 popular scholars in number) in

North; Edakkattu Nambutiri (author of Prasnamarga), Talakkulattu Govinda

Bhattatiri (Author of Dasadhyayi) and numerous others from South. The light

produced by some excellent books such as Saravali (from AP in10th

century) and Bhattolpala's commentary on Varaha Mihiras works (from Kashmir in

10th century) etc stands apart from the main stream and are away

form this general trend.

Among these

two major destructions and two major revivals, Mihira's revival after the first

destructive phase stands high. Like an one man army, he revived both Nirayana

Agama astrology (Non-Vedic stream; `Jyotisham

Agama sastram' he says) and Tropical Nigama astrology (Vedic stream;

Vedanga Jyotisha) – and mixed them both. Mixing of Sign based system of

Nirayana astrology and Nakshatra based system of stellar tropical astrology had

both positive and negative results. Any way that is not our point of

discussion. The point to remember is –

·

Mihira revived Sign based Nirayana Agama

astrology having three branches viz – Siddhanta, Samhita, Hora

·

Mihira revived Nakshatra based Tropical Nigama

Astrology having numerous branches viz – Jataka, Phalita, Mooka Prashna etc

 

`Learning from Lanka' might have helped him a lot in implementing this

Herculean task almost all alone. It does seem that the whole contribution of

this great scholar especially to Vedic Stellar Astrology did not survive.

Note: This article tries to provide an

excellent pointer for anyone who is interested to ponder over.

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