VARAHAMIHIRA

VARAHAMIHIRA. Astronomer, Mathematician and Astrologer.

THE NAVARATANS. वह चंद्रगुप्त विक्रमादित्य के नवरत्न और ज्योतिषियों में से एक थे He was one of the navaratans and jyotishs of Chandragupta Vikram Aditya..

How Mihira got the title ‘VARAHA’?. Mihira was called from Ujjain to predict the future of Vikram Aditya. When Vikram Aditya asked Mihira to predict his Future, there was a pin-drop silence as all were shocked as all were shocked beyond the words of royal astrologers prediction. Breaking the silence with full grief himself, the astrologer confirmed the prediction, “ The position of the planets predict the death of the prince at the age of 18” Though the king controlled his emotions, the queen couldn’t stop herself and wailed, “ My Lord, you should see to it that this prediction proves false.” Though the king had full faith in his astrologer Mihira, he took every precaution to protect and save his son..

How Mihira got the title ‘VARAHA’?. But on the predicted day, a BOAR killed the prince. When the news reached the King, he summoned Mihira to his court and told him “ I am defeated, you have won, you have won,” Mihira was as sad as the king, and he replied “ My Lord, I have not won, It is the science of astronomy and astrology that has won!” “ Whatever it may be, my respected astrologer”, said the king. “ It has convinced me that your science is nothing but truth” Then the king said, “ And for your mastery of the subject, I now confer upon you the Magadha kingdom’s greatest award, the emblem of the Varaha(Boar)” by also including him in his nine gems. Since then, Mihira came to be known as VARAHAMIHIRA..

VARAHAMIHIRA. Varahamihira was one of the renowned Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer. He was honoured with a special decoration and status as one of the nine gems in the court of king Vikram Aditya in Avanti ( Ujjain) He discovered a version of Pascal’s triangle and worked on magic squares. Varaha Mihira wrote several important on Jyotish Varaha Mihira said about his own treatises: “ The science of Astrology is a vast ocean and is not easy for everyone to cross it. My treatises provide a safe boat”.

Early Life. He was born at 505 A.D. into a family of Brahmins settled of Kayatha, a village near Ujjain, in the Avanti region, roughly corresponding to modern-day Malwa( part of Madhya Pradesh, India) His father, Adityadasa was a worshipper of the Sun god and it was he who taught Varahamihira astrology. On a visit to Kusumpura (Patna) young Varahamihira met the great astronomer and mathematician, ARYABHATTA The meeting inspired him so much the he decided to take up astrology and astronomy as a lifetime pursuit..

Work. Varaha Mihira wrote several important works like Brhat Jataka, Bruhat Samhita, Yoga Yatra, Pancha Siddhantika( astronomy) and Prasna Vallabha(apocryphal) This text exists in many Indian scripts and was copied, preserved in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples and monasteries..

[image] Brihat Samhita Varaha Mihira Chidambaram Iyer.

Pancha-Siddhantika. Varaha Mihir's book “Pancha Siddhant” holds a prominent place in the realm of astronomy. He proposed that the moon and the planets are lustrous not because of their own light but due to sunlight. The work is a treatise on mathematical astronomy and it summarizes five earlier astronomical treatises, namely the Surya, Romaka, Paulisa, Vasistha and Paitamaha Siddhanta's..

The 5- Siddhanta's:. Surya-Siddhanta: The Treatise of the Sun Vasistha-Siddhanta: The Treatise of the sage Vasishtha Paulisa-Siddhanta: The Treatise of Piulisha Romaka-Siddhanta: The Treatise of Romans or westerners Paitamaha-Siddhanta: The Treatise of Pitamah (The Deity Brahma) (Treatise: A written work dealing formally, and systematically with a subject).

Brihat-Samhita. In the “Bruhad Samhita” and “ Bruhad Jatak”, he has revealed his discoveries in the domains of Geography, Constellation, Science, Botany and Animal Science. In his treatise on Botanical Science, Varaha Mihir presents cures for various diseases affecting plants and animals. It covers wide-ranging subjects of Human interest, including Astronomy, Planetary movements, Eclipses, Rainfall, Clouds, Architecture, Growth of crops, Manufacture of perfume, Matrimony and Domestic relations. It contains 106 chapters and is known as the “Great Compilation”.

Astrology. Being an Astrologer, he wrote on all the three main branches of Jyotisha astrology. It covered Brihat Jataka which is considered as one of the five main treatises on Hindu astrology on Horoscopy, Laghu Jataka, Samasa Samhita, Brihat Yogayatra, Yoga Yatra, Tikkani Yatra, Lagu Vivaha Patai, Daiivajna Vallabha (apocryphal) His son Prithuyasas also contributed in the Hindu Astrology, his book Hora Sara is famous book on the Horoscopy..

Mathematical Work. Varaha Mihira’s mathematical work included the discovery of the Trigonometric formula’s. He improved the accuracy of the sine tables of Aryabhata I He defined the algebraic properties of zero as well as of negative numbers. Further, he was among the first mathematicians to discover a version of what is now known as Pascal’s Triangle. He used it to calculate the binomial coefficients..

Contributions. In 550 AD have described a large number of comets. He wrote over sixty couplets about comets. Surya Siddhanta mentioned the Mars’s diameter, circumference and also carries calculations on and about solar eclipses and lunar eclipses, its color and portion of the moon Apart from these, Varahamihira also predicted the presence of water on Mars. The book had a detailed description of planet Mars. He had said in his book that planet Mars has both water and iron present on its surface, which have now been revealed by NASA and ISRO He was the first to mention and explain how each planet in the solar system has been created by and centered on the sun..

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