Shri. Oak has, in essence, accepted the year 5561 BC, proposed by Dr. Vartak and examined the various astronomical references for that year. He has also fixed 16th Oct. as the date for the first day of the war.
1.I begin with the Ref. 6, exp. No. 10. – 'Jupiter and Saturn NEAR Vishakha on first day'.
Shri. Oak says one year prior to 16th Oct. 5561BC, Jupiter was in Mool and Saturn in Hasta, i. e. 3 and 3 nakshatras away from Vishakha on either side. On 16th Oct. 5561, Jupiter had moved to Uttarashadha, 2 nakshatra farther away from Vishakha and Saturn was still at Chitra – Uttara F., which really means ‘stayed in Hasta’. Gap between the two has opened out to 8 nakshatras! Satisfactory corroboration of ‘ both in Vishakha’? Hardly so. Maybe in 5563 or 5564 BC at least Jupiter would have been much closer to Vishakha though Saturn still far away. This reference does not corroborate the year 5561 BCE.
If this reference is to be met satisfactorily, the year should be such that Saturn was actually at Vishakha and the date or month of the year such that Jupiter was also at or near Vishakha. However it is to be noted that if Saturn was at Vishakha it would neither attack Bhaga (Uttara Falguni) nor give Peeda to Rohini. All three conditions can never be met.
2. Ref 10 Exp 11.—Saturn attacking Bhaga (Uttara Falguni). What Shri. Oak finds is that Saturn was in Bhaga 2 years prior to the war date but had begun ‘approaching Chitra’ which means it had left Bhaga, thus stopped troubling it and was at Hasta. Again, 5563 BC fits the ref. better! (I am of course not proposing 5563 BC as year of war)
3.Ref 11, 13 and 14 talk about movement of Mars from Magha to Shravan, mentioning two Vakri motions. Exp. 13 describes all these movements as correct. I must congratulate Shri. Oak on his novel interpretation of Vakri motion. Astrologers/Astronomers may not accept it. I am neither so am free to accept.
Some questions however remain. In Ref. 11 Vyasa talks about Mars moving Vakra in Magha as though it is a current event, but actually, it was so one year back! In the first line of the Fef. 11 he says ‘ सेनयोः अशिवम् घोरं करिष्यति महाग्रहः’ By ‘mahagraha’ does he mean Mars or Jupiter (both in Shravan) or some other planet? Why Mars, one year back going Vakra in Magha, now in Shravan, was harmful to the armies?
Mars is described as ब्रह्मराशिं समावृत्य. It is actually equidistant from Shravan and Dhanishtha, RA wise. Abhijit is far away, declinationwise, about 54 degrees whereas both Shravan and Dhanishtha are at about 20 and 17 degrees decl. What was Mars' declination? Was it very high to call it near Abhijit?
4. Ref 11 Exp 14 – Shri. Oak finds Jupiter showing Vakri motion as per his definition, ‘crossing ecliptic'. It supports his idea. Fine. Vyasa says in second line of Ref 11, ‘श्रवणे च बृहस्पतिः’ – present tense. ( He also used present tense for describing Mars' vakra motion at Magha, one year back.) Actually, Jupiter crossed ecliptic much later, on 6th April 5560 BC and 13th Sept 5560 BC! How is Vyasa talking about them? That too in present tense? It happened way in future! Maybe, ‘Sharavane cha bruhaspatih’ simply means what others say, 'Jupiter in Shravan'
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In two places I had said 'Bhishma' when actually the quotes in question are by Vyasa. I have corrected Bhishma to Vyasa in the paragraphs above.
Regarding Ref.6 'Jupiter and Saturn near Vishakha' on 1st day, I want to stress that the factual position as given by Shri. Oak, of Jupiter in Uttarashadha and Saturn in Hasta, is far from satisfactory. If this reference is to be taken seriously, a search for an year when the condition is met is called for, unless Shri. Oak claims that no such year can be found,within the main period of 'epoch of arundhati' when Arundhati was very significantly ahead of vasishtha, from say 5000 BCE to 7500 BCE. Saturn being slow moving, once an year in which it was at Vishakha is found, other years will be located and for those years, position of Jupiter will need to be checked. (I have no capability to do this. Mr. Achar has got rid of this reference by dubbing Saturn and Jupiter (as in this reference) to be referring to comets. He has of course given his reasoning for doing so. I am not commenting on them here.
Regarding Ref. 10 also, Saturn was in Bhaga, 2 years prior to war but by first day, it had moved away almost through Hasta. How can it be described as giving PEEDA to Bhaga any more? Also, the tense used, (Peedyate) is present tense. I want to stress that the reference cannot be considered as corroborated.
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