Author: Saroj Bala
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: February 26, 2004
For thousands of years, we have
believed in the divinity of Shri Krishna. For us he was a Karmayogi par
excellence who gave us action oriented philosophy of life in the form of
Bhagavad Gita. But questions have constantly haunted us as to whether Krishna
was a historical or mythical character and whether the war of Mahabharata
was actually fought.
Till recently, we did not have the
wherewithal to search for and establish the truth. But modern scientific
tools and techniques like computers with planetarium softwares, advancements
in archaeological and marine archaeological techniques, earth-sensing satellite
photography and thermo-luminescence dating methods, all have made it possible
to establish the authenticity and dating of many events narrated in ancient
texts like the Mahabharata. Recent archaeo-astronomical studies, results
of marine-archaeological explorations and overwhelming archaeological evidence
have established the historicity and dating of many events narrated in
the Mahabharata. These have led to the conclusion that Mahabharata War
was actually fought in 1478 BC and Shri Krishna's Dwarka City got submerged
under the sea in 1443 BC.
Astronomical Evidence: In the Mahabharata
references to sequential solar and lunar eclipses as also references to
some celestial observations have been made. Dr RN Iyengar, the great scientist
of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, examined relevant references
and searched for the compatible dates by making use of planetarium software
(PVIS and EZC). He concluded that most of these references were internally
consistent and that the eclipses and celestial observations of Mahabharata
belong to the period 1493 BC-1443 BC of Indian History, (refer Indian Journal
of History of Science/38.2/2003/77-115).
In the Mahabharata, there are references
to three sequential solar eclipses and some other planetary positions.
Reference to the first solar eclipse comes in the Sabha Parva (79.29),
graphically described by Vidur when Pandavas start their journey to the
forest on being banished for 12 years of life in exile and one year of
life incognito after they had lost everything in the game of dice. After
13 years of exile and incognito life, the Pandavas returned to Hastinapur
and demanded their kingdom back, but Duryodhana refused. Several efforts
to prevent war failed and war became imminent.
There is a reference to the second
solar eclipse in the Bhisma Parva (3.29), following a lunar eclipse occurring
within the same fortnight a few days before the actual war of Mahabharata.
These eclipses occurred after 14-15 years of the first solar eclipse The
epic also refers to some unfavourable planetary positions between the second
solar eclipse and the beginning of the war on Kartika Purnima (Bhisma Parva
3.14 to 3.19). On Kartika Krishna Ashtami, Saturn was near Rohini and Mars
was between Jayestha and Anuradha. Twenty two days later, on Kartika Purnima,
Saturn was near Rohini, Mars was near Jayestha (probably Uranus) was between
Citra and Swati.
Another white planet (possibly Jupiter)
had moved from Purva-bhadra to Uttar-bhadra. Reference to the third solar
eclipse comes in the Mausala Parva (2.19 to 2.20) occurring in the 36th
year of the Mahabharata War. This was visible from the city of Dwarka,
which is stated to have been subsequently submerged under the sea. For
these observations to be internally consistent, there should have been
three solar eclipses within 50 years. The first one and the second one
after a gap of 14-15 years should have been visible from Kurukshetra whereas
the third solar eclipse should have been visible from Dwarka after 35 years
of the second one.
Marine Archaeological explorations
around Dwarka: The on-shore and off-shore explorations carried out in and
around Dwarka during last 50 years have revealed that Dwarka was a prosperous
city in ancient times, which was destroyed and reconstructed several times.
The work of great excavators like ZD Ansari and MS Mate and chance discovery
of temples of 9th century AD and 1st century AD buried near the present
Dwarkadhish Temple, prompted setting up of a Marine Archaeology Centre
jointly by the National Institute of Oceanography and the Archaeological
Survey of India. A project for marine archaeological explorations in Dwarka
was initiated under the dynamic leadership of great marine archaeologist
Dr Rao, who has the distinction of being awarded "The World Ship Trust
Award" for outstanding research in this field.
Dr Rao's team consisted of expert
under-water explorers, trained diver-photographers and archaeologists.
The technique of geophysical survey was combined with the use of echo-sounders,
mud-penetrators, sub-bottom profilers and under-water metal detectors.
This team carried out 12 marine archaeological expeditions between the
year 1983 to 1992 AD and articles/antiquities recovered were sent to Physical
Research Laboratory for dating. By using thermo-luminescence, carbon dating
and other modern scientific techniques, artifacts were found to be belonging
to the period 15th to 18th century BC. In his great work, The Lost City
of Dwarka, Dr Rao has given scientific details of these discoveries and
artifacts.
Conclusions arrived at after carrying
out these under-water archaeological explorations support and validate
the dates arrived at through astronomical calculations. These also prove
that the reconstructed city of Dwarka was a prosperous port town, and that
it was in existence for about 60-70 years in the 15th century BC before
being submerged under the sea in the year 1443 BC.
Attempts have also been made to
determine the year of Mahabharata from the details available in scriptures
which include Puranas. When events are unrecorded for quite some time and
are passed on to the succeeding generations through Shruti and Smriti,
the inaccuracies and myths get mixed with reality on account of differences
in the perceptions of different individuals. However, it is for the objective
rational individual mind to find out and differentiate fact from fiction.
Important information, including the genealogy charts of rulers after Yudhishthira,
are available in Srimad Bhagvatam, Matsya Puran and Vayu Purana. On the
basis of such evidence, famous historian Lord Cunningham assigned the year
1424 BC to the War of Mahabharata.
Evidences referred to earlier point
more to the probability that nobody had come to India from Central Asia
or from any other place. In fact, Indo-Aryan kings and warriors had come
to Kurukshetra in their war chariots from all over India to participate
in the Mahabharata War and that a whole lot of people got killed in that
war. The killers as well as the killed, the victors as well as the vanquished,
the charioteers as well as the foot soldiers, all were Indians who had
already experienced thousands of years of prosperous and advanced civilisation.
Archaeology also records a continuous indigenous evolution of Vedic civilisation
going back to 5000 BC at sites like Mehrgarh and Koldi.
It is sad that so far we have not
known even a fraction about our ancient civilisation and cultural achievements.
Detailed factual data in our ancient texts and Sanskrit manuscripts is
beckoning us to carry out further research. By making use of modern scientific
instruments and techniques we must discover the true facts about our ancient
past. If we do, we may be able to gather supportive evidences to reassert
that ours was the oldest civilisation in the world and that our ancestors,
the Vedic Aryans, had travelled from India to various parts of Asia and
Europe to spread our knowledge, civilisation and culture. When this is
recorded we would be able to hold our heads higher and be able to take
on the future with greater confidence.
