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The Milky Way and the Cosmic Soma Written by Dr.

David Frawley The key to the meaning of the signs of the zodiac should be evident from the orientation of the zodiac itself. The most dramatic factor in stellar observation for any erson is the Milky Way. The meaning of the signs of the zodiac! if stellar based! should be centered on their relationshi to the Milky Way. The Milky Way intersects the zodiac around two main oints! " #emini and " Sagittarius. $n %edic thought! the area of the Milky Way! and the surrounding signs of Taurus and #emini! was regarded as the most aus icious ortion of the zodiac! articularly the &akshatras 'ohini and Mrigashira. (n the other hand! the o osite side of the Milky Way! and the surrounding signs of Scor io and Sagittarius! was regarded as most inaus icious! articularly the &akshatras )yeshta and Mula. $n %edic thought! the area of the Milky Way! and the surrounding signs of Taurus and #emini! was regarded as the most aus icious ortion of the zodiac! articularly the &akshatras 'ohini and Mrigashira. (n the other hand! the o osite side of the Milky Way! and the surrounding signs of Scor io and Sagittarius! was regarded as most inaus icious! articularly the &akshatras )yeshta and Mula. The " #emini area is marked by the &akshatra of Soma called Mrigashira or the antelo e*s head +,- ," Taurus . "/ 0" #emini! with " #emini as the central oint1. $t is said to be the head of 2ra3a ati or 4rahma! the Creator! who also has the form of a deer or antelo e. Mrigashira includes the same region as the constellation (rion! marking its u er ortion. $f one draws a line directly north from the three stars in the belt of (rion one comes to the star Cal ella +5l ha 5uriga1! the star called the heart of 4rahma +4rahma.hridaya1 in %edic thought +Surya Siddhanta %$$$.,"1. This a ears to be the main s iritual ower oint in the %edic zodiac. Soma in %edic thought! we should note! is the nectar of immortality and the drink of the #ods. $t is also identified with the Moon and with various sacred lants. The %edic view a ears to be that the Milky Way in this region of the sky is the heavenly Soma. The o osite side of the zodiac or the " Sagittarius area was! on the contrary! a region of death and oison! the worst lace in the zodiac for the Moon to be located at birth6said to signify death of the erson or death in his family. $t is marked by two &akshatras! )yestha at the end of Scor io +7/ 0" 8 -" ""1 said to kill the eldest born +)yestha.ghna1 and Mula at the beginning of Sagittarius +"" 8 7- ,"1 said to be ruled by &irriti or the #oddess of calamity! said to ull out the root of the family +Mula.barhana! also called %ichrita in the %edas1. 5s early as the 5tharva %eda! there are several hymns to rotect a erson from the influence of these two malefic &akshatras +%$.77"! 77,! 779! 7,71. Clearly the Taurus.#emini side of the Milky Way re resents the nectar of immortality or Soma! while the o osite Scor io.Sagittarius side of the Milky Way re resents oison or death. 'ohini and )yeshta: Taurus and Scor io. There are two im ortant first magnitude red giant stars almost e;actly o osite each other in Taurus and Scor io< 5ldeberan +5l ha Taurus1 called 'ohini in %edic thought and

5ntares +5l ha Scor io1 called )yestha in %edic thought. They are located around 7= degrees of Taurus and ," degrees of Scor io +according to Surya Siddhanta %$$$.0 and %$$$.7=. They mark the doorways to the Milky Way. 'ohini or 5ldeberan is the main star of the &akshatra 'ohini +7" "" 8 ,- ," Taurus1 ruled by 2ra3a ati or 4rahma! the creator. 'ohini herself is the daughter of 2ra3a ati and the wife or favorite of the Moon. 'ohini &akshatra re resents the gods! dharma and good fortune +>akshmi1 and is said to be the most fortunate of all &akshatras for worldly affairs. ( osite to it! )yeshta or 5ntares is the star of misfortune +alakshmi1! death and the 5suras! erha s the worst &akshatra for worldly affairs. )yeshta is ruled by $ndra! the king of the #ods! and is said to be where he fights and overcomes 5hi.%ritra! the ser ent or dragon that dwells there. So it is also the &akshtra of %ritra or the dragon. This 5ldeberan.5ntares or 'ohini.)yeshta a;is is the main line of good fortune and misfortune in the %edic zodiac that rovides a key to the signs as well. We can link it with the Milky Way a;is with which its meanings are aligned. The main %edic symbol of the creative ower is the 4ull +vrisha or vrishabha1. $t relates to 4rahma +the 4rahma bull1 or the creator! also called 2ra3a ati or the lord of rogeny. This is the robably %edic basis of the bull as the symbol of the sign Taurus! which is 2ra3a ati*s or 4rahma*s sign! the source of his creative ower. The bull is also a symbol of virility and se;ual ower! which comes into lay here as well. %risha! which is short for %rishabha or bull! s ecifically means virility. The scor ion! on the other hand! is a symbol of oison and misfortune in the %edas! occurring in the regard as early as the 'ig %eda +$.7?7.7/1. Therefore! it easily became the symbol of the sign o osite 2ra3a ati or Taurus! the lace of )yestha or the star of conflict and misfortune. )yeshta*s association with %ritra! the snake or ser ent suggests a similar symbolism. Therefore! the 'ohini.)yestha a;is in %edic thought hel s us understand Taurus and Scor io as signs in the zodiac re resenting the o osing forces of life and death! creation and destruction. $n %edic thought! the Creator 2ra3a ati is a kind of demiurge! not the su reme divine. @is creation of the world of time and death is based on desire and is stained by duality. $n some myths his creation roceeds through his intercourse with his own daughter +'ohini1! for which sin 2ra3a ati himself is eventually slain by the other #ods. The #ods come together and create the great #od 'udra to slay 2ra3a ati with his arrow for this indiscretion. ( osite 2ra3a ati! therefore! is always the shadow of lust and envy. This also enters into the symbolism of Scor io. The region of Scor io in %edic thought is also related to the #od Mitra who is the deity of the revious 5nuradha +"- ," 8 7/ 0"1! the revious &akshatra to )yeshta. Mitra is also the #od of death! Mrityu. Mitra in 2ersian thought is the slayer of the bull and is often accom anied by a scor ion for this rocess. For the 'omans! Mitra became the Sun #od as the #od of the zodiac itselfA $ndra! who rules )yestha! is himself the king of the #ods! while 2ra3a ati as the father of the #ods is also the father of $ndra. @owever! in %edic mythology $ndra fights with 2ra3a ati! having to overcome his own father to gain his own inde endence. This $ndra. 2ra3a ati o osition also comes out in the Taurus.Scor io a;is.

5s 2ra3a ati is only a demigod! his o osition or destruction can also come from the higher #ods like Mitra! $ndra or 'udra who transcend the dualities and outer forces of creation. This Taurus.Scor io! 'ohini.)yestha a;is and its dualism is erha s the key to the entire zodiac on both inner and outer or worldly and s iritual lines. #emini and Sagittarius 2ra3a ati*s main action is rocreation or ra3anana. This occurs through the creation of cou les as the %edas and B anishads say. The 2rashna B anishad $.7C. says that those who follow the law of 2ra3a ati is to create cou les or give rise to intercourse or Mithuna. This rovides a basis for calling the sign after the bull or Taurus as Mithuna or #emini! which in %edic thought is not ortrayed as twins but as a male and female cou le. &ote that %edic Soma is also connected to en3oyment! se;uality! re roduction! which can be related to the Milky Way or heavenly Soma as located in #emini. The two main stars that mark the constellation of #emini! Castor and 2ollus or 5l ha and 4eta #emini! are the two stars that mark the &akshatra of 2unarvasu +," "" #emini 8 "," Cancer1 and the end of the sign #emini. They are ruled by #oddess 5diti! who is the great Darth Mother! carrying a similar creative energy to that of 2ra3a ati. 2unarvasu is a dual constellation and so regarded itself as a cou le. So these twin stars could easily be brought into the #emini symbolism. #emini and Sagittarius as o osite signs follow a similar dualism and have similar stories as Taurus and Scor io. #emini contains the &akshatras Mrigrashira +,- ," Taurus . "/ 0" #emini1 ruled by Soma and 5rdra +"/ 0" 8 ," "" #emini1 ruled by 'udra. Mrigashira is the antelo e*s +Mrigas1 head +shira1 slain by the arrow of 'udra! the hunter! who rules nearby 5rdra. $t is also 2ra3a ati*s head where he is slain by 'udra*s arrow for having se; with his own daughter! 'ohini. So his cou ling or Mithuna is also the basis of 2ra3a ati*s death. The o osite sign of Sagittarius is symbolized by a bow and arrow +called Dhanus or the bow in %edic thought1! which may also reflect this slaying of 2ra3a ati. $ts first &akshatra Mula! though technically in the Sagittarius subdivision +"" 8 7- ," Sagittarius1! actually consists of the two stars at the tail of the Scor ion! the stinger that contains its oison. Mula is ruled by &irriti! the goddess of destruction! who is listed in %edic te;ts as a form of 'udra. $n %edic hymns it is also to 'udra! the bowman! to whom one rayers to avert calamity +&irriti1! as in the famous 'udram chant of the Ea3ur %eda. So one can easily see how the figure of 'udra with his arrow! which also occurs in the 5rdra ortion of #emini! gets transferred to Sagittarius on the o osite side of the zodiac based u on the dualism inherent in the zodiac. 'udra is also a horseman in %edic thought and his sons! the 'udras and Maruts! are the greatest of horsemen! which relates to the horse symbolism of Sagittarius. 'udra is the rototy e for the great god Shiva! who has the ability to drink oison and transform it into nectar. 'udra is a storm #od connected to thunder and lightning that also enters into the symbolism of Sagittarius.

The " #emini and " Sagittarius 5;is: The Shiva 5;is Though Scor io and Sagittarius and the Milky Way on their side of the zodiac may s ell difficult karma or even worldly misfortune! they can also bring s iritual gains. The scor ion is also the Fundalini force! the ser ent fire or dragon! articularly in its dormant hase as an obstructive force. The arrow of Sagittarius! on the other hand! can re resent the Fundalini in its aroused state as a wea on for the #ods. 'udra o ens the door to higher states of consciousness by taking us behind the en3oyment seeking of the outer creation +symbolically the slaying of 2ra3a ati1. What is nectar at a worldly level may be oison at a s iritual level and vice versa. $n addition! these oints of " #emini and " Sagittarius are not sim ly o osite in meaning but also arallel in meaning. 5s the two ends of the Milky Way! they have much in common. This is reflected in %edic thought. )yeshta or 5ntares is also called 'ohini. So there are two 'ohinis. Similarly! the &akshatra Mula +"" 8 7- ," Sagittarius1 is sometimes said to be ruled by 2ra3a ati and to have its own creative force! with Mula also meaning the root. #emini contains the &akshatra 5rdra! ruled by 'udra! which has a similar energy to Sagittarius as re resenting the arrow and the hunter. $n fact both 2ra3a ati and 'udra are called the father of the #ods! the difference being that 2ra3a ati re resents more the creative ower of the #ods while 'udra is their destructive and transformative ower. $n this regard! 5rdra is called 4ahu or the arm in some early %edic te;ts! indicating that it is the arm of the deity of which Mrigashira is the head. This would make 5rdra and Mrigashira form a single being! much like (rion. Meanwhile! $ndra! the deity of )yeshta! is himself often re resented by a bull. $n %edic mythology! Soma is guarded by various archers. 'udra is one of the guardians as the Milky Way or heavenly Soma as the &akshatra 5rdra in #emini. (ther bright stars along the Milky Way are regarded as! if not archers! at least the dogs that accom any these Divine hunters or their teeth. This includes the dog stars Sirius and 2rocyon and robably 5rdra +4etelgeuse1 as well. @owever! it may well be that 'udra as Sagittarius also symbolizes the archer that guards the Milky Way on the other side of the zodiac. Sagittarius as an arrow or bow relates to 'udra.Shiva who is the Divine hunter and who has among his sacred animals a deer +mriga1. $n addition! the later ortion of the Milky Way in Sagittarius falls under the &akshatra 2urvashadha! whose deity is 5 as! the Water #oddesses who are also connected to Soma. So it seems that the energy of the Milky Way on the Sagittarius side is not sim ly negative but has a ositive ortion re resented by the Waters and 2urvashadha and a negative as ect re resented by &irriti +'udra1 and Mula. Similarly! the energy of the Milky Way on the #emini side has a ositive as ect re resented by Mrigashira and Soma and a negative as ect re resented by 'udra and 5rdra as ortions of the Milky Way cross 5rdra as well.

We must remember that Soma as the nectar of the #ods can be oison to mortals. Mortals who are not re ared can be killed by drinking Soma! which is a force that the ordinary human nervous system cannot handle! like the awakening of the Fundalini that reGuires a high ower of awareness to be able to endure. Therefore! the Soma. oison o osition reflects a meaning everywhere in the Milky Way which as the milk of heaven is a drink that mortals are barred from taking! unless they develo s ecial divine Gualities within themselves. The s iritual nature of Sagittarius as a sign also makes sense as re resenting Shiva! the #od of the Eogis. We could erha s call the #emini.Sagittarius a;is! the HShiva* a;is of the zodiac. The secrets of Shiva energy of se;! death and immortality clearly a ear hidden in its diverse symbolisms. Eet art of such arallel meanings for o osite sides of the zodiac is reflected in the nature of the Sun.Moon relationshi . When the Moon is full and therefore able to fully energize any &akshatra! it must be 7=" degrees from the Sun which is o osite it in the zodiac! energizing the contrary section of the sky. So the Gualities of the full Moon on one side of the sky have a relationshi with that those of the Sun on the other side of the sky. Similar meanings for these constellations occur in other mythologies as well. For e;am le! in Dgy tian thought (rion! which marks the Taurus.#emini area of the zodiac that it is laced south of these two signs in the sky! was the constellation of (siris! who like 2ra3a ati is the slain creator and like Soma is a figure of re3uvenation and immortality. (rion itself in #reek thought is the hunter! like the %edic 'udra! who himself is slain! like 2ra3a ati. $ have already mentioned the connection of 2ersian and 'oman Mitra with Taurus and Scor io as well. #enerally the (rion side re resents the Divine Father while the Scor io.Sagittarius side is the Divine mother! the Shiva and Shakti rinci les. We could also say that the (rion side is the head! while the Scor io.Sagittarius side is the base of the s ine! of the Milky Way that re resents the brain and nervous system. Soma in %edic thought is also the deity of the crown chakra! re resented by the head of 2ra3a ati or the Creator that must be ierced or cut off +removed from his body1 for the liberation of the s irit. Meanwhile the &akshatra Mula relates to the Muladhara or root chakra in which the Fundalini dwells. The " #emini." Sagittarius a;is therefore re resents the Fundalini below and its iercing of the Soma in the crown chakra. 5 confirmation to the connection between 'ashis and &akshatras can erha s be found in @ara an archaeological ruins. 5n @ara an seal dated to ,0"" 4CD has been found recently that shows a deer and an arrow on one side! the symbol of Mrigashirsha +(rion1 and a Scor ion on the other. Scor io is o osite (rion in the zodiac. When one rises! the other sets. S.M. 5shfaGue has argued an astronomical basis for this seal +I2rimitive astronomy in the $ndus Civilization. $n (ld 2roblems and &ew 2ers ectives in the 5rchaeology of South 5sia! ed. ).M. Fenoyer! ,"9.,7C! Madison! Wisconsin1.

2lanetary 'ulershi of the Signs $f we follow this line of research further! we can see how the lanetary rulershi of these four signs arose. The sign Taurus is ruled by %enus! in %edic thought %enus is called Shukra! which also means the re roductive fluid. 5s 2ra3a ati! the Creator in his desire or re roductive energy! the sign Taurus makes erfect sense as ruled by %enus! articularly 'ohini itself as having a %enus like energy as the Creator*s beautiful daughter. Scor io is ruled by Mars. $n %edic thought Mars indicates oison and enmity! which goes well with the signs energy as o osite Taurus and with the Gualities of )yeshta. $n fact the name 5ntares means alter.Mars and suggests a similar connection as well. #emini is ruled by Mercury and symbolizes Mithuna or cou ling! which is the outcome of the 2ra3a ati.'ohini connection of Taurus. $n %edic thought! the lanet Mercury is regarded as having both male and female sides! to be half.male and half.female! or alternatively male and female. (f all the single lanets! Mercury best re resents cou ling! intercourse or communication re resented by Mithuna or #emini! so its rulershi makes sense here as well. )u iter! on the other hand! is the lanet of 3ustice and morality. $t is often o osite to Mercury in Gualities. )u iter re resents the consistent ethical nature that is o osed to Mercury*s duality and ambivalence. )ust as %enus energy as the creative desire force +2ra3a ati.'ohini1 gives rise to Mercury energy as cou ling +Mrigashiras.#emini1! so does Mars energy as oison and enmity +Scor io1 give rise to )u iter energy as retribution and unishment +Sagittarius1. The ower of retribution or the wea onJarrow of the #ods is lighting or the atmos heric fire! which )u iter re resents 3ust as does the sign Sagittarius. 5s #emini relates to love and the coming together of o osites! Sagittarius relates to o osition and conflict. So )u iter*s rulershi of Sagittarius is also e; lained. $n summary! we can e; lain the Gualities of the signs! &akshatras and lanets in these two o osite sections of the zodiac of TaurusJ#emini and Scor ioJSagittarius through %edic symbolism. These four signs of the zodiac rovide the foundation on which to understand the other signs. We would e; ect the inherent duality of time to be most evident where the Milky Way! the river of stellar influences! crosses the zodiac. 'udra and 2ra3a ati: The (rigin of the 2lanets and the Signs There is a s ecific story in the 5itareya 4rahmana +which also occurs in several other 4rahmana te;ts as well1 that e; lains the mythology of 2ra3a ati further. $ will Guote it at length as it has bearing on the origins of the signs! &akshatras and lanets: 2ra3a ati felt love towards his own daughter! the sky some say! the dawn others. @aving become a deer! he a roached her in the form of a doe. The #ods saw him. H2ra3a ati does a deed that is forbidden.* They sought someone to unish him but couldn*t find anyone among them. Then they took their most terrible forms and combined them together. These combined together became another #od here. Therefore his name is 4huta +what e;ists1.

The #ods said to 4huta. 2ra3a ati has done something forbidden. 2ierce him with your arrow. @e said! Hbe it so*. H>et me choose a boon from you*. HChoose*! they said. @e chose to be the ruler of the animals +2ashu ati! lord of the beasts1. @e who knows this becomes a ossessor of animals. 4huta attacked and ierced 2ra3a ati with his arrow. 2ra3a ati being ierced flew u wards. @im they call the deer +Mriga1 star. @e who is the iercer of the deer is the iercer of the deer star +Mriga.vyadha or the star Sirius1. That which is the doe is the star 'ohini +5ldeberan1. That which is the three ointed arrow is the three ointed arrow star +the three stars in the belt of (rion1.K 2ra3a ati is the &akshatra Mrigashiras and his daughter is the &akshatra 'ohini. @e is shot by the arrow of 'udra +also called 4huta and 2ashu ati1 who is generally identified with the star 5rdra +4etelgeuse1! but Mriga.vyadha a ears to have been Sirius! bright star in the same vicinity. 2ashu ati*s arrow is the three stars in the belt of (rion which are the arrow on the head of the deer that is 2ra3a ati. We see here the story of 2ra3a ati and his daughter as e; laining the signs Taurus and #emini. The bull! %rishabha! is a symbol of fertility and of male lust! while Mithuna! refers to se;ual intercourse in Sanskrit. 4ut the story goes much further. To continue to Guote it further. The seed of 2ra3a ati that had been released flowed out. $t became a lake. The #ods said! HMay this seed of 2ra3a ati not be s oiled. When the said! LMay this seed of 2ra3a ati not be s oiled +madusham1! it became Madusha. That is the meaning of Madusha. $ts name is Madusha. What is Madusha that is Manusha +man1. That is the secret why man +manusha1 is called man +manusha1. The #ods indeed love mystery.K The seed of 2ra3a ati! the Creator! born of lust and duality but urified by the #ods became man! the human being. The lake created by the seed of 2ra3a ati is robably the Milky Way! which crosses the zodiac at Mrigashiras. Man is born of the Milky Way. That lake they encom assed with fire. The winds blew over it. 4ut the fire couldn*t move it. Then they encom assed the lake with the universal fire +5gni %aishvanara1. The winds blew over it. The universal fire caused the lake to flow. That which was the first art of 2ra3a ati*s seed that blazed u ward from the lake became the Sun +5ditya1. That which was the second art became %enus +4hrigu1. @im %aruna welcomed. That is why 4hrigu is said to be the son of the #od %aruna +the #od of water1. That which was the third art to take flame became the other Sun #ods +5dityas1. The coals became the 5ngirasa 'ishis. When the coals after having died down flamed u again that became the 'ishi 4rihas ati +)u iter1. The Creator*s seed in the form of a lake was heated by fire. $t was the universal fire! 5gni %aishvanara! which symbolizes the life soul that alone had the ower to enter into it and cause it to move. That heated water of the Milky Way or heavenly Soma gave rise first to the Sun and second to %enus or 4hrigu! the brightest of the lanets and the great %edic 'ishis or seer. $t also gave rise to the other forms of the Sun #od and to the main 'ishi or %edic seer family! the 5ngirasas! including their foremost leader 4rihas ati or )u iter! im lying the roduction of the other lanets as well. @ere we have the origin of the lanets from the Creator*s seed in the Milky Way around " #emini. 4ut this is not all that takes birth here:

The coals that remained became the black animals. That which was the red earth scorched by the fire became the red animals. That which was the ashes cre t off as mi;ed colored animals. The wild bull! buffalo! deer! camel and donkey! these became the ruddy animals. To them 2ashu ati +the lord of the animals1 said! LThese are mine. Mine is what remains on the sacrificial ground.K &ot only are the lanets born of 2ra3a ati*s seed in the sky! so are the animals. These must be the animals in the sky or the stars of different colors or degrees of radiance. Dlsewhere in the %edas it is said that 2ra3a ati created the animals and assigned them each a star +Taittiriya 4rahmana $.C.01. While the animals mentioned here may not sim ly be the s ecific animals of the twelve signs of the zodiac! this idea does resage such a formulation. &ote that the animals arise from the coals after )u iter. The signs are determined by )u iter*s revolution of one sign er year as it takes it about twelve years to circle the zodiac. 'udra +Shiva1 as the lord of the animals or the lord of the beasts! 2ashu ati! can also be seen as the lord of the zodiac. 2ra3a ati or the rule of desire is re laced by 2ashu ati or the rule of knowledge. $n Sanskrit as in other mythologies the animal is a symbol of the soul. 2ashu ati is the >ord of souls. 2ashu ati is often seen with animals like lions and bulls that are art of the signs of the zodiac. @ere we see a myth of the origin of the lanets and the constellations in the form of animals from the Milky Way. There are other %edic stories that reflect similar insights. &akshatras and B anakshatras The Sidereal Modiac This orientation of the zodiac to the Milky Way raises some interesting Guestions. The Scor io.Sagittarius side of the Milky Way in fact marks the galactic center. Why should this be such a malefic oint in %edic thoughtN This can be e; lained at least in art that it is an area of karmic rectification. $t is good s iritually but not necessarily materially. $f the determinative factor for the meaning of the signs is the Milky Way and the 5ldeberan.5ntares a;is! then it is also clear that the signs must be a sidereal division! not a tro ic division. Today the Milky Way is now falling in early Taurus and early Scor io tro ically. This mythology also has im lications for our civilization today. Today the winter solstice is falling in early Sagittarius or Mula &akshatra around si; degrees of Sagittarius. This means it is in con3unction with the oisonous side of the Milky Way. 5t the same time the summer solstice is in Mrigarshira or si; degrees #emini or the constellation of Soma. Will we choose to drink the Soma or the oisonN So far we are olluting our lanet and taking the role &irriti or calamity! for which the #ods of retribution like 'udra cannot be far behind us. Summary

The %edas show a division of the zodiac into ,9 &akshatras or lunar mansions. That they might have more subtle divisions of the zodiac than ,9 should not sur rise us. 5 twentysevenfold division would demand finer divisions for accurate calculations. $n this regard Sata atha 4rahmana describes B anakshatras or secondary &akshatras with each &akshatra divided into ,9 arts eGualling a total of a ro;imately 9,". $t is generally thought in the West that the zodiac of -/" degrees and 7, signs is an invention of 4abylonian thought and was brought to $ndia by the #reeks after the time of 5le;ander +after -"" 4CD1. @owever the %edas! all the way back to the oldest 'g %eda! contain references to a sun wheel or wheel of heaven divided into -/"! 9," and 7,! as well as other numbers. %edic literature describes these divisions as located in IheavenI or the sky. Sata atha 4rahmana clearly notes them as IraysI and Idirections!I giving them a s atial orientation and eGuates them with the B anakshatras furthering making them into divisions of a zodiac. $n other words! Sata atha 4rahmana resents a zodiac of 9," B anakshatras eGuated with the 9," rays and directions that surround the sun. This shows a zodiac divided into 9," arts or -/" O ,. Such a zodiac e;isted in $ndia at the time of Sata atha 4rahmana. While modern scholarshi has generally dated this te;t around ="" 4CD! recent new discoveries in $ndia! like that of the Sarasvati river!PP7 may ush this time back much further. The same te;t s eaks of the vernal eGuino; in the Frttikas or 2leiades +which occurred around ,""" 4CD1. @ence it can be suggested that a zodiac of -/" or 9," ortions was known in $ndia by this eriod. 7. 4ackground $n order to establish the background for the conce t of B anakshatras! let us first e;amine the com le;ity of %edic thought in regard to science! astronomy and calendars. The %edic zodiac is art of a larger system of mathematical thought! and not merely an inter olation! borrowing or an e;traneous factor. $t is integral to this entire system! articularly for constructing fire altars! which was robably the most im ortant and com le; as ect of %edic thought. %edic knowledge of the zodiac must be viewed in the conte;t of other carful observations made in that area.

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