Scientific Acumen: Hanuman Chalisa

Vedic science 

Hanuman chalisa told us distance between sun and earth long ago.

“! जुग सहस्त्र योजन पर भानु, लील्यो ताहिमधुर फल जानू !”

Some facts we should know ...

Distance Between Sun & Earth Mentioned in Hanuman Chalisa :

According to Records, For the first time in 1672, Jean Richer and Giovanni Domenico Cassini measured the distance between Earth and Sun as 22,000 times of Earth Radii.( Earth’s Radius is 6,371 Kms).

i.e 22000 * 6371 kms = 140,162,000 kms (140 Million Kms).

Two lines of Hindu Prayer ” Hanuman Chalisa” computes this distance with great simplicity.

“! जुग सहस्त्र योजन पर भानु, लील्यो ताहिमधुर फल जानू !”

This means that Sun (भानु) is at a distance of  Juug Sahastra Yojans (जुग सहस्त्र योजन- Distance Unit in Hindi)According to following conversion practices that are in use as per Hindu Vedic Literature-

1 Juug = 12000

1 Sahastra= 1000

1 Yojan = 8 Miles

Thus

12000 X 1000 X 8 =  96,000,000  miles

1 mile = 1.6 kms

This further implies that distance is  96,000,000 * 1.6 kms = 153,600,000 Kms

According to modern calculation:

Average distance between the Sun and Earth =149 million kms = 92 million miles.

However, the orbit of the Earth is not a perfect circle, but an ellipse. Sometimes the Earth is closer to the Sun and sometimes it is farther.

Shortest distance between Sun and Earth (perihelion) = 91 million miles = 147 million kms (early January)

Longest distance between Sun and Earth (aphelion) = 94.5 million miles = 152 million kms (early July)

It is surprising to note that Tulasidasa who lived in 16th century could give the most accurate estimation that is very close to the estimation by 20th century astronomers.

Let us decipher the calculation in Hanuman Chalisa…

Hanuman, in his childhood, assuming the Sun to be a ripe mango, jumped to catch it. Tulasidasa recounts this incident in his Hanuman Chalisa as follows:

yuga-sahasra-yojana para bhanu

leelyo tahi madhura phala janu

Considering the Sun to be a sweet fruit, Hanuman jumped to swallow it.

Here the distance he travelled is mentioned as yuga-sahasra-yojana.

What is a yuga? According to Bhagavad-gita, one day of Brahma is called kalpa and is equal to 1000 yugas and this is followed by a similar duration of night.

sahasra-yuga-paryantamaharyadbrahmanoviduh

ratrim yuga-sahasrantamte ‘ho-ratra-vidojanah

1 yuga = 4,320,000 years = 12000 divine years

(1 divine year = 360 years according to human calculation)

This is also confirmed in Manu-samhita: etad dvaadasha sahasram devanam yugamuchyate

According to the above verse from Hanuman Chalisa, the distance between Sun and Earth is

yuga-sahasra-yojana = 12000 x 1000 yojanas.

Yojana is a Vedic measure of distance and approximately equals to 8 miles (according to the 14th century scholar Parameshvara, the originator of drgganita system). And 1 mile = 1.60934 kilometers.

According to the calculation presented in Hanuman Chalisa

Distance between Sun and Earth = 12000 x 1000 yojanas = 96 million miles = 153.6 million kms, which is much closer to the calculation of the modern scientists.

The assumptions we have made in the above calculations are as follows:

We assumed yuga to mean the number 12000 based on the time calculation system of Vedic period based on the statement from Bhagavad-gita and Manu Samhita.

We approximated 1 yojana = 8 miles based on what Srila Prabhupada has mentioned in his purports. However there is still disagreement among scholars as to whether it is 5 miles or 8 miles. Some other calculations indicate values ranging from 7.6 miles to 8.5 miles.

But it is astonishing that Tulasidasa mentioned the distance to this level of accuracy as early as in 16th century when the Western astronomers, with the help of telescope, were trying to figure out the distance.

Hanuman challisa was written by Goswami Tulasidas (born 15th century) in Awadhi language who belongs to 15th century. which means the distance between Sun and earth has been calculated much more accurately than the 17th century scientists even before 2 centuries.

The Questions like “how Tulsidas calculated this distance” or “how he is able to know about this distance” are not limited but “What are the advanced technologies our ancient ancestors used, regarding which we have no clues “. We also have to observe that the people of that age have more Talent, knowledge, capabilities and much more advanced technology that is beyond the imagination of our present day technologies.

History is not presented to us in a way it should be. There are still many elements and precious jewels of information that are being kept hidden from us. Ocean of history is before you, dive in and dig the jewels out. The gleaming beam of knowledge from these jewels will not only enrich our country but will also keep bestowing direction to our future generations. We hope that this post will help you to understand the significance of our ancient principles, technology and culture.

Written on Twitter Handle of @DharmikSonal

Nilesh N. Oak Sir Writes: 

Notice Yuga (Juga) length is taken here to mean 12,000 + it is taken as 'length'!

Correct.  Not unlike Yuga, Yojana appears to have multiple definitions, not unlike Gallon (US, UK, Standard).

Space/time/mass are some of the most complicated subjects.

Go to any decent University library. Search "What is (mass, space, time) and you will have 400+ books in each category.

Read all. U will go in circles.

No other culture thought so deeply about these until 500 years ago!

The End.

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