An Important Matter

[Guest guest]

The astrologers like AKK show concern at Makar Sankranti being observed about three weeks after the Winter Solstice but they never care to know what is the true meaning of the Makar Sankranti. Makar is the Makar rashi and Sankranti means the act of Sankraman or intrusion. So Makar Sankranti has to when the Sun enters the Makar Rashi. AKK and others never care to know why Makar Rashi is considered important. Shravana nakshatra is in the Makar rashi and this is Nakshatra ruled by Shri Hari. Shravana and Shruti has the same origin and Shruti is the Veda. Shravana is considered asthe Nakshatra of the Veda-Mata Saraswati. Before Abhijit Nakshatra, whose ruler is Brahmaa, moved away to become the Pole-star, Abhijit used to be a Nakshatra in the makar rashi. Appropriately Makar rashi was called the Brahma rashi in the Mahabharata. Astrologically also the Makar Rashi is considered to be Rashi of Bharatvarsha. Thus the Makar

Rashi has a unique position and the Sun's entry into the Makar Rashi is an important event. Thus the Makar Sankranti has been and will be observed when the Sun enters the Makar Rashi.

Now it is also true that at one time the Winter Solstice did take place in the Makar Rashi for close to twenty two centuries. Even the latitudinal line at the point of the Winter Solstice had begun to be called as the Makar Rekha or the Tropic of Capricorn and this was appropriate only as long as the Wlnter Solstice occurred in the true Makar Rashi. So AKK and others think that Makar Sankranti and Winter Solstice are synonymous, forgetting that this can only happen only for close to twenty two centuries at a time and then wait for close to twenty four Millennia for that to reoccur. This is not to say that the Winter Solstice has no importance. The Tropical Calendar cannot do without the recognising the Winter Solstice. So the Tropical calendar has to learn to coexist with the Sidereal calendar. If those who want to observe the Winter Solstice as the Uttarayana

day can observe it by all means. So let us have one additional festival day on the Uttarayana day for those who want to onserve that rather than trying to annul the Makar Sankranti festival on the day when the Sun enters the Makar Rashi.

 

Regards,

 

Sunil K. Bhattacharjya

 

 

 

--- On Mon, 2/23/09, Robert E. Wilkinson <robtw wrote:

Robert E. Wilkinson <robtwRe: [WAVES-Vedic] RE: Fwd: An Important Mattersunil_bhattacharjya, harimallaCc: vedicscience, atlantavedictemple, HinduCalendar , hinducivilization , waves-vedic , deenbc, jyotirvedDate: Monday, February 23, 2009, 7:55 AM

 

 

Namaste Hari Mala-ji,

Thank you for your response and the interesting information about the Makar.

 

You bring up some interesting points in your letter which I feel the need to address in some detail. Let me begin with your request that those of us interested in Calendar Reform do this through a "concerted effort and if possible without changing any of the current practices and by not insisting on any particular method. It is your belief that this would be the best type of reform and acceptable to most". I am sure you have the best of intentions but your reply reveals exactly what is WRONG with the general attitude surrounding these important matters. Let me explain: First, it is virtually impossible to reform the calendar through a concerted effort given the wide gaps in understanding evidenced by these discussions on WAVES. I agree with you that Dr. Arya is worthy of praise but, in my opinion, the scholarship of Krishen Kaul and Yeshu Rathenam does not rise to that level. Nevertheless you would prefer that we find an inclusive solution, without changing the current practices and acceptable to most. In other words you would be comfortable with some kind of compromise that doesn’t rock the boat. You are evidently unaware that when it comes to matters of Higher Truth and the cosmological absolutes that the Veda prescribes, compromise is simply not an option. What is required is credible LEADERSHIP that can expose the fallacious logic that so often passes for wisdom on this discussion group. What I find simply unbelievable is that

many of the members of WAVES, people who supposedly have some knowledge of the Veda, accept the pretentious posturing of AKK as gospel while virtually ignoring the authoritative statements of Veda masters like Sri Aurobindo, “Thea†Patrizia-Norelli-Bachelet and Swami Dayananda Saraswati. No discrimination is made between the opinions of scholars and the direct knowledge of the sage. Naturally this results in an environment of mass confusion out of which true Calendar Reform cannot emerge. And what is the result? One of the esteemed leaders of a Vedic Temple in the US reads what I have written on calendar reform and, not being a Sanskritist or Jyotish scholar himself, he writes and asks AKK to set him straight out of his vast experience and knowledge. Here is someone who holds a position of trust and leadership in the religious community, responsible for the spiritual guidance of others, and he has no understanding of these important matters. I have written him on several occasions to ask for a fair hearing but, because of his faith in AKK, I have not received even the courtesy of a reply. So this man, having placed his confidence in a person of no realization and preferring not to rock the boat, returns to his flock and leads them on a path of Adharma rather than make a sincere effort to establish what is and is not the truth of the Veda. Now multiply this

by tens of thousands and you have some idea of the problem we must overcome to re-establish the Sanatana Dharma.

So to answer your question, No! we cannot give in to compromise. No! we cannot continue the current Nirayana practices and Yes!, we must insist on the method laid down in the Veda if we are to have any meaningful reform of the Calendar.

As for the names of the temples in India that have embraced the beginnings of Calendar reform, you will find them listed on my website http://www.vediccosmology.com. In the service of truth, RE Wilkinson