The Eccentric Theory of Indian Astronomy

We have said in our columns that the Indian astronomers said that the planets revolve around a point different from that of the Earth and Indian Astronomy is heliocentric.

The above diagram depicts the Eccentric Theory and Reduction of the longitude of the planet to the heliocentric coordinate system ( known as Manda Kriya ).

In the above diagram

The angle NAP = Manda Kendra or Mean Anomaly

The Circle A is the mean orbit of the planet
The Circle B is the true orbit


The mean planet moves on the mean orbit, known as the deferent.

When the planet is at N in the mean orbit, he is at M in the eccentric and this is called Mandoccha ( Aphelion ).

When the planet is at R in the mean, he is at S in the eccentric.

M and S correspond to Apogee and Perigee in the case of Manda Phala correction ( otherwise known as the Equation of Center ).

When the planet is at M in the eccentric, the position of the true planet coincides with N, the mean planet and so the Manda Phala correction is Zero.The Equation of Centre at both perigee and apogee becomes zero.

When the Mean Anomaly lies between 0 and 180 degrees, the Equation of Center is negative and this is known in Vedic Astronomy as Meshadi Rinam, Rinam meaning minus. And when it is between 180 and 360, it is additive and it is known in Indian Astronomy as Thuladi Dhanam, dhanam meaning additive.

Anomaly has been defined in Western Astronomy as the angle between position and perihelion. Manda Kendra here is the angle between Position and Aphelion, aphelion being mandoccha. The term manda explains that planets move slower at Aphelion !

Chara, the Ascensional Difference

In Indian Astronomy, Chara is the Ascensional Difference and is the difference between Right Ascension and Oblique Ascension.


And is calculated by the equation

Sin ( Chara ) = tan ( decl ) tan ( latitude ).



Here Theta is Chara.

Sin C is called Chara Jya


Right Ascension means the longitudes measured along the Celestial Equator, the Vishu vat Vritta.

Oblique Ascension means the longitudes measured along the Ecliptic, the Kranti Vritta.

Chara is used in the computation of Sunrise and Sunset.

The formula for Sunrise = 6 H + Equation of Time - Chara - Refraction Correction

The formula for Sunset = 18 H + Equation of Time + Chara + Refraction Correction.

Reduction to Geocentric Coordinates

In the above diagram,

m is the Sheegra Anomaly
and the angle EJS is the Sheegra Phalam

where E = Earth, S = Sun and J = Jupiter


In order to get the geocentric longitude, the longitude of the Sun is deducted from the Ecliptic longitude and then we get the Sheegra Kendra, the angle between the planet and the Earth Sun plane.

Ecliptic longitude - Long Sun = Sheegra Kendra

Arka Sphutnoniham Kheda Manda Sphutamihodhitham

Sheegra Phalam is the angle EJS ( Earth, Jupiter, Sun ) and this Sheegra Phalam is deducted to get the true, geocentric longitude. ( Added if Sheegra Anomaly > 180 and deducted if Sheegra Anomaly < 180 ).

Like Kepler, the Indian astronomers may not have said that all planets move fastest at perihelion but this principle was known to them as they called perihelion Sheegrochha. Sheegra in Sanskrit means fast. Similarly they called Aphelion Mandochcha, manda meaning slow, and it implies that all planets move slowly at Aphelion !

Sheegra Kriya, reduction to geocentric longitude

The Vedic astronomers never said like Kepler that planets traverse in elliptical orbits. But then they talked about Eccentric and Epicyclic theories. They said for the luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, reduction to the geocentric (Sheegra Kriya ) coordinate system was not necessary. But for the Tara Grahas, like Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn, both the jya samskaras ( trignometric corrections ) are necessary.

The Vedic astronomical texts say that the planets go in an epicycle, whose center moves along the mean circular orbit from west to east. This theory came to be known as the Epicyclic Theory. There is another theory called the Eccentric Theory, which states that a planet goes in a circle whose center is not the Earth, but a different point other than the Earth.

Bhaskara says " The Center of the Celestial Sphere coincides with the center of the Earth. The circle in which a planet goes does not have its center coinciding with the Center of the Earth". Hence the Vedic astronomers like Bhaskara, Brahmagupta and Aryabhata, prescribed bhujaphalam ( otherwise called Equation of Center for mandaphala, whereas in the case of the five Tara Grahas, this bhujaphala, despite connoting Equation of Center or mandaphala, also stands for corrections required to reduce their longitudes from the Heliocentric Coordinate System to the Geocentric Coordinate System ).

The Jupiterian Law or Brihaspathi Neethi

Suppose your son goes against you. Will you throw him out of the house ?

This is where Jupiterian Law or Brihaspathi Neethi or Jesusian Law comes into operation.

Love is giving and forgiving
Self is getting and forgetting !

Conquer by Love ! This is the message handed out to us by the millenial philosophers, millenial poets and millenial prophets !

Love is a Glory from Eternity's spheres
He is still the Godhead that can make all change

Love should never cease to be upon the Earth
Love is the bright link betwixt Earth and Heaven
Love is the far Transcendent's angel here
Love is man's lien on the Absolute !

Sai and Jesus say " Love your enemies, bless them that curse you and bless them that persecute you" !

Let us be arrayed from head to foot with their commandments. ' Conquer everything with Patience and Love" is their eternal message !

Byron said " Take away Love and the whole world becomes a tomb "

Jupiter is the preceptor of the celestials and represents the divine arts and sciences. The scientia intuitiva or intuive sciences are a great preparation for Eternal Liberation. Without the discriminative intellect or prajna imparted by him, no one can hope for Self Actualisation. He represents the Sreyo Marga ( the way of Being and of Bliss ) and Venus represents the Preyo Marga ( the way of Mammon and the flesh ). Both paths are followed by mankind !

Goethe echoed the same when he averred

Now lead me where some heavenly silence glasses
The purer joys around the Poet throng
Where Love and Friendship divinely fashion
The bonds that bless, the wreaths that crown his passion !

Yoga Sastra, Nyaya Sastra, Neethi Sastra, Vedanta Sastra, Jyothis Sastra and all such sciences are ruled by Jupiter or Brihaspathi. Sasanath Thrayathe ithi Sastram - meaning that Redeeming instructions are called Sastras ( like fatherly advice to a son ). Hence Jupiter or Brihaspathi is the greatest benefic, from the perspective of Self Actualisation. He represents Grace Divine, without which no Self Realisatoin is possible.

Love is a manna sent from Heaven, a spark of the Immortal Fire, sent by the Lord to elevate our low desire ! Let Almighty Love triumph on earth !

From the Center where the Heart of God is known
Let Love stream forth into the hearts of men
Let Love triumph on Earth !


Let us Love All, Serve All, Help Ever, Hate None and Hurt Never, thereby fulfilling the Jupiterian Law !

The Venusian Law ( Shukra Neeti )

The Mosaic Law of Western Thought is known as Shukra Neethi ( Venusian Law ) in Indian Philosophy. The Jesusian Law corresponds to Brihaspathi Neethi, that is rising to a higher plane which returns good for evil !

Even though it is taught that lying is Sin and should be avoided, Shukra Neethi or the Venusian Law states that one can lie for virtue !


Kaliyil prana rakshakkum
Go brahmana hithathinum
Kanya Vitha rakshakkum
Poli Nindithamalledo !

In business, one cannot be trufhful all the time. There is a saying, Truth is ruinous, hence suppressio veriti, suggestio falsi ! In order to make profits, the biz man is given the licence to lie !

Milton said that Mammon was the first teacher of Man

By him first
Men also

The God and Mammon of Western Thought have their equivalents in

Brihaspathi or Jupiter - the Guru of the celestials and representer of the twelve positive sciences of the Vedas

Shukra or Venus - the Guru of the demons and representer of all modern sciences


Milton's " It is better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven " is Venusian or Shukra Neeti and is widely followed by politicians, mafia chiefs, the priesthood and the captialists !

In Mythology Indian, Venus or Sage Shukra was born to Bhrighu and Usana. He was born on the day of Freya or Venus, Friday. He was born in the constellation of Swathi. Freya is Venus in Norse Mythology and Freya's day became Friday. Shukravar is Friday and is named after Shukra. Shukra was sent to learn the Vedas from Angiras, who was partial to his son, Brihaspathi. However, Shukra learnt the Vedas from Gauthama. He later performed penance to Lord Shiva and obtained the Sanjeevani Mantra, a mantra which can resurrect the dead.

When Jupiter or Brihaspathi became the Guru of the celestials, Shukra competed and became the Guru of the demons ! He exhorted the demons to win the war against the celestials !

When King Bali was tested by Lord Vishnu in the form of the dwarf Vamana, Shukra immediately knew of the deceipt and warned King Bali. He sat in the spout of a vase, which was spotted by Lord Vishnu. Vishnu picked a straw from the ground and directed it on the spout, with the result Shukra became half blind !

Shukra corresponds to Machiavelli. Machiavelli opined that to be feared is better than to be loved. ( "Love is preserved by the link of obligation which men in their baseness break off at every opportunity for their own advantage, whereas fear preserves you with the dread of punishment which never fails " ). Machiavelli opined that men are base and ugly. ( " This has to be asserted in general for men, that they are cowardly, covetous, ungrateful, fickeminded and false and as long as you succeed, they are yours entirely"). Armed prophets had succeeded, whereas the unarmed had failed !

The Jesus and Machiavelli of Western thought, both dialectical opposites, correspond to Brihaspathi and Shukra of Indian thought !


Shukra in Sanskrit means brightness, clearness, purity. These mythological figures are planets and Vedic Symbolism was used by the Rishies. Astrologically, he represents the mundane arts and the mundane sciences, whereas Jupiter or Brihaspati represents the divine sciences and the divine arts.

The Times of the Sun ( Njattuvelas )

The Malayalam Agri Calender has it that the Sun transits the 27 constellations of the Ecliptic and these came to be known as the Njattuvelas. The word Njattuvela is derived from Njayar meaning the Sun and Velas meaning the Times. In short Njattuvela means the Times of the Sun, as it passes through the 27 constellations of the Sidereal Zodiac.

Now the Sun is transiting Mrigasira or Makiryam Njattuvela is on. It is raining incessantly in Kerala. Makiryam mathi ariyathe peyyum meaning that rains will be galore during Mrigasira Njattuvela. On June 22nd, the famous Thiruvathira Njattuvela will be on and Kerala will be graced by bursts of rain with sunny interludes.

Monsoon Tourism is on the upswing in the state. People from Arab lands and tropical countries find Kerala a haven. Westerners find it as a gorgeous Paradise, because of the immense greenery which adorn the state.

More rains are expected during the solar transits of Punarvasu and Pushya. These four Njattuvelas are fierce and destructive. Many have lost their homes in the villages, many paddy fields have been inundated, as the Rains of Life and Death simultaneously bring relief from the blistering heat and at the same time wreack havoc on the poor infrastructure of the state.