Mahabharata date. Was: Iron Age in India

[Narahari Achar]

I agree with Professor Kochhar's assessment that there is an urgent need to
resolve this issue. I have undertaken to study this issue with computer
simulations using modern planetarium software and hopefully will be able to
arrive at some conclusion regarding the merits of various dates quoted by him.
How soon, I can't tell. But then, science has no final word, (paraphrasing
Kochhar's words!). Regards-Narahari Achar

Rajesh Kochhar wrote:

> I draw your attention to the following information taken from R C
> Majumdar(ed)(1988) The Vedic Age ( Bombay:Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan):
> "Astronomical references in the Mahabharata itself about the position of the
> Nakshatra and planets have been utilized for determining the date of the
> war.But,the same data have yielded various divergent results.As a matter of
> fact,the statements in the Epic are conflicting and self-contradictory,so
> that in order to arrive at some conclusion it is necessary to reject certain
> statements or their implications as later interpolations or mere
> exaggerations. .No satisfactory and acceptable result can be arrived at from
> these data"{p.272}
>
> The book (p.320,note 4)  then goes on to give examples of the various
> divergent results obtained by different scholars.
>
> Rai :3140 BC;  Triveda:3137 BC;   Vaidya:3102 BC   ;Abhyankar :3090 BC;
> Sen Gupta:2449 BC;   Karandikar:1931 BC;     Deb:1400BC;
> Daftary:1197BC;      Pradhan:1151.BC
>
> There is thus urgent need to resolve the issue. It will however be not
> sufficient to add one's own date to the existing directory, but  also to
> comment on the results obtained so far and show why they should be rejected
>
> Rajesh Kochhar
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> ++++++++++++
>
> >On Fri, 22 Sep 2000 19:05:27 +0530, Rajesh Kochhar <rkk at NISTADS.RES.IN>
> >wrote:
> >
> >>In the literature, one can find arguments that assign a date to the
> Bharata
> >>battle ranging in round numbers from  3000BC to 1000BC..It is easier to
> >date
> >>the beginning of the iron age than to date the Bharata battle. It would be
> >>better to fix the beginning of the iron age from independent sources and
> >>then use this information to constrain the Bharata battle
> >chronology ,rather
> >>than the  other way round.
> >>rajesh kochhar
> >>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >>Prof Rajesh Kochhar
> >>Director
> >>National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies
> >>Pusa Gate , K S Krishnan Marg , New Delhi 110012
> >>ph + 91 11  5764064 / 5743227/5765380 x231   fax 5754640
> >>hm + 91 11 576 0281
> >>altenative email rkochhar2000 at yahoo.com
> >>web site  http://nistads.res.in { NOTE no www}
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Anand M. Sharan <asharan at ENGR.MUN.CA>
> >>To: INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK <INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
> >>Date: Friday, September 22, 2000 3:12 PM
> >>Subject: Re: Mahabharata date. Was: Iron Age in India
> >>
> >>
> >>>In my last posting, I had indicated the drying up of the Saraswati river
> >>>around 1700 BCE, and that the Mahabharata War took place before that
> based
> >>>on the description in Mahabharata, about Balram's pilgrimage along the
> >>>Saraswati river. I had also mentioned about Fitzgerald's work on the use
> >of
> >>>iron during the War. I had mentioned other instances where the use of
> iron
> >>>is mentioned.
> >>>I have read another source about dating the Mahabharata based on the
> >>>planetary configuration. It gives the date of starting of the War on Nov.
> >>>22, 3067 BCE ( I will try to post the details on a web site shortly -
> >>>within a few days ) . Therefore, considering any of these sources- drying
> >>>up of the Saraswati river,  and the planetary configuarations, one can
> say
> >>>that the Iron Age in India was far older than previously believed .
> >>>
> >>>Thanks.
> >>>
> >>>Anand M. Sharan
> >
> >There is a reason for approaching the date of Mahabharata this way . The
> >planetary motions are determinate including those of the orientation of the
> >earth's rotational axis, which has a cycle of approximately 26, 000 years .
> >I am not sure, if the people who have made the Panchang have included this
> >motion . If they have not ( their model is based on observations, which may
> >not be as accurate ), then the date will be off.  Still , it would be
> >better than searching for the needle ( remains of the iron in Mahabharat)
> >in the haystack . If Lord Ganesh, and Vyasjee recorded things accurately (
> >the descriptions ) , it would be possible to estimate the date of the
> >Mahabharat War, and hence, the Iron Age in India. All things have to
> >match .  I am looking for an appropriate software to match the
> >description . If any one knows about such a software, pl provide the
> >details by posting it.
> >
> >The web site where I have posted the details of the present Estimation is
> >mentioned below:
> >
> >http://www.engr.mun.ca/~asharan/bihar/mahabharat/historicityofmahabharat.ht
> m
> >
> >Thanks.
> >
> >Anand M. Sharan