Jai Singh's observatories

[JSHARMA]

Shailendra Mehta writes :
 
> Third, I have heard that among some meditators, the observatories have a status
> akin to that of Stonehenge, that is as special mystical places. Was this Jai
> Singh's intent ?

 
 Absolutely! Vigyan Bhairava Tantra prescribes gazing at the skies as 
a technique in meditation. Folks who gathered at these places in 
ancient (and modern) times studiously stared up for long periods of 
time on starlit nights trying to gauge their place in the universe, 
and ultimately themselves. Observatories still remain special 
mystical places for the folks who gather there on starlit nights.

J.B. Sharma
Gainesville College
 


> From mehta at kc235-2.mgmt.purdue.edu 24 1993 Oct U 11:34:31
Date: 24 Oct 1993 11:34:31 U
From: "Mehta, Shailendra" <mehta at kc235-2.mgmt.purdue.edu>
Subject: RE: Jai Singh's observatories



 

 
>You are mistaken, because Aryabhata is rather exceptional in the
>history of Indian astronomy.  All the later scholars had a geocentric
>cosmology.  Even the followeres of Aryabhata took much pains to
>interprete Aryabhata's words by geocentrci view, just in order to
>save the acarya from the accusation.
>I wonder which Upanishad has <a clear reference to heliocentricity>.
 
I am curious now. Where can I read up more on this anomaly in Indian thought ?
I would love to get the latest scholarly (journal) references if anyone has
them, on this topic and on Indian mathematics in general.

I will dig up a copy of the Discovery of India and then by checking its
reference hunt down the Upanishadic source, and then you can let me know if you
think it is a valid point. Give me a couple of days.

Shailendra.
 


> From mehta at kc235-2.mgmt.purdue.edu 24 1993 Oct U 11:27:23
Date: 24 Oct 1993 11:27:23 U
From: "Mehta, Shailendra" <mehta at kc235-2.mgmt.purdue.edu>
Subject: RE: Jai Singh's observatories



 
> Absolutely! Vigyan Bhairava Tantra prescribes gazing at the skies as 
>a technique in meditation. Folks who gathered at these places in 
>ancient (and modern) times studiously stared up for long periods of 
>time on starlit nights trying to gauge their place in the universe, 
>and ultimately themselves. Observatories still remain special 
>mystical places for the folks who gather there on starlit nights.

I have a copy of Vigyan Bhairava, but I have never paid much attention to it
since it seems to be just a compilation of very short descriptions of various
techniques of meditation. Perhaps I should go back and check just what it says
on this point. Are there any other references, Indological, Sociological or
just popular, on this practice ?

Shailendra.