Mt. Mahendra and its Astronomical Association in Bṛhatsaṃhitā

The closest memory of Mt.Mahendra with constellation Uttaraphālguni, Hasta and Citrā

Its been long to have read Bṛhatsaṃhitā. Initially Iused to post the screenshots on predictive analysis done by Varah Mihir.

The description about Mt. Mahendra comes in Ramayana

In a presentation at the IHAR-IGNCA conference, I demonstrated how the vernal equinoxes had coincided with the visibility of Agastya at various latitudes and times to determine the relationship between Agastya’s ascent when the vernal sun was in Hasta, which is stated in the Parashara Tanra. According to one piece of evidence in the Parashara Tantra, Agastya was a pole star. Another piece of evidence that supports Parashara comes from the Ramayana, where Agastya is seen from Mt. Mahendra in the south.

Now we have third information from Varah mihir’s Brihat Samhita

Mahendra (महेन्द्र) refers to a mountain belonging to “Dakṣiṇa or Dakṣiṇadeśa (southern division)” classified under the constellations of Uttaraphālguni, Hasta and Citrā, according to the system of Kūrmavibhāga, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 14), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa). — Accordingly, “The countries of the Earth beginning from the centre of Bhāratavarṣa and going round the east, south-east, south, etc., are divided into 9 divisions corresponding to the 27 lunar asterisms at the rate of 3 for each division and beginning from Kṛttikā. The constellations of Uttaraphālguni, Hasta and Citrā represent the southern division consisting of the countries of Laṅkā, Kālājina, Saurikīrṇa, Tālikaṭā, the mountains of Giri, Nagara, Malaya, Dardura, Mahendra,i.e., Mahendragiri]. It further demonstrates that the area extended till Konkan and Bhraoch too, which apparently tell us the shift of people watching Agastya from lower to higher latitudes. But the initial emphasization is on southern area.

Just a coincidence?

Its not a coincedence that the combination of Vernal in Chitra, Hasta and U-phalguni with Agastya seen from these latitudes gets assigned to Malaya and Mahendra mountains. These are the results of observation done in 12,000–13,000 BCE and came down unedited as a knowledge in Kurmavibhag of Bṛhatsaṃhitā. This is the triangulation of evidence. I had always emphasized that Agastyamalai name is an astronomical attributed name, Varah Mihir endorses my claim.

Ain’t that a great find.