The name Ṛkṣa continues to interest, for why it was named so
Lets understand Polestar and Big Bear constelation
Indian astronomy is amazing when one starts to understand its core conceptual elements, nomencalture, etymology, its practical usage along with philosophical footnotes. Once you start looking at the sky some strange shapes start appearing onto your mind connecting the dots of various stars and one such, which looks like an upright “question mark” in the northern sky during Summer solstice, is very eyc catchy even to those who don’t know astronomy. And season wise its change in position, likewise sometimes appearing like a ladle or dipper, this shape amazes you due to its resemblance to every day use of question mark while one pens.
This is called Sapta-Ṛṣis in Indian astronomy-Jyotiṣam and Big Bear or Dipper in the Western Constellation Chart.
It is a worldwide phenomena that after sighting the Big Bear one intend to locate the Pole Star or any significant star in the vicinity during the change of seasons. In today’s time, the best way to locate Pole Star i.e., Polaris with the help of big dipper is by joining two stars Dubhe and Merak and extending it till polaris in the little dipper. One can draw a line between these two stars and extend it out about 5 times, and you eventually will end in locating Polaris. Its not that this art is discovered by todays astronomers. We find such instances of sighting Big Dipper with Pole Star, i.e., Dhruva, in our Upaniṣads, Gṛhya, Śrauta sūtras as well as in Vedic texts*. Infact we were more precise in observing the Sapta-Ṛṣis including a faint star in the Big dipper constellation. And interestingly the faint star served a purpose which I have discussed under Arundhatī Darśana nyāya (See here).
ध्रुवमरुन्धतीं सप्तऋषीनिति दृष्ट्वा वाचं विसृजेत जीवपत्नीं प्रजां विन्देयेति २२,
When she sees the polar-star, the star Arundhatī, and the seven Ṛṣis (ursa major), let her break the silence (and say), ‘May my husband live and I get offspring.’ — Āśvalāyana Gṛhya Sūtra
Sankhayana Gṛhya sūtras says similar for polar star.
2. Let them sit silent, when the sun has set, until the polar-star appears.
3. He shows her the polar-star with the words, ‘Firm be thou, thriving with me!’
4. Let her say, ‘I see the polar-star; may I obtain offspring.’
Maitrāyaṇī Upaniṣad, which mentions Ṛkṣas** also mentions the movement of the Dhruva (dhruvasya pracalanam). Indians were seriously noting the axial precession.
The evolution of Ṛkṣas to Sapta-Ṛṣis
The evoluton from Ṛkṣas to Sapta-Ṛṣis didn’t happen in a second nor in 100, 1000, 2000, 5000 or 7000 years. The concept “Sapta-Ṛṣis” may have taken thousands of years to develop from the word Ṛkṣas. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa remembers that Ṛkṣa was the former name of Sapta-Ṛṣis***
On the other hand (it is argued) why he should not set up the fires under the Kṛttikās. Originally, namely, the latter were the wives of the Bears (ṛkṣa); for the seven Ṛṣis were in former times called the Ṛkṣas (bears). They were, however, precluded from intercourse (with their husbands), for the latter, the seven Ṛṣis, rise in the north, and they (the Kṛttikās) in the east. Now it is a misfortune for one to be precluded from intercourse (with his wife): he should therefore not set up his fires under the Kṛttikās, lest he should thereby be precluded from intercourse. —ii. 1, 2, 4, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa
Why Ṛkṣas-Bear; the psychology behind this imagery for the former Sapta Ṛṣis in the sky?
If you see the image above you will be reminded of tales of bear, how it sights, stares at beehive and climbs to it, and finally gets it and climb down. Now lets closely intercept this phenomena in astronomy.
If you see the north direction sky after dusk you will see a star appearing on true north at the height of your latitude, i.e., if you are at 23º N latitude the star will appear at 23º up from the horizon and that is your North Star-Polaris of todays time. Your fist makes a 10º. This way you can locate Polaris. Every latitude will have different Dhruvaka — Pole Height****. Once you find the Pole Star, you have to keep in mind that due to Axial Precession the axis of earth will move to come back on same pole star in 26000 years. It works like a spinning of a top.
So, the earth while rotating on its own axis revolve around sun and its axis points to a pole point. We are lucky to have a pole star but all the 26000 years are not lucky to have a pole star at pole point. You can read as to how axis pointing at pole star/point changes with time here.
Now, let me show you how Ṛkṣa comes closer to the Pole Points or Pole Stars while earth is spinning like a top and shifting its axis, how it gets away and again come closer in all 26000 years of Axial Precession.
Isn’t that interesting…
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Footnote
- *Āśvalāyana Gṛhya Sūtra, i. 7, 22; Sāṅkhāyana Gṛhya Sūtra, i. 17, 2 et seq.; Lāṭyāyana Śrauta Sūtra, iii. 3, 6, ; Pāraskara I, 8, 19.
- ** Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā, iii. 14, 17; Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā, xxiv. 36; Jai-
minīya Brāhmaṇa, i. 184. - *** Rv. i. 24, 10; Satapatha Brāhmaṇa. ii. 1, 2, 4; Taittirīya Āraṇyaka, i. 11, 2
- ****Sire Monier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary states that Sanskrit kamala (is) a particular dhruvaka. Since Sanskrit dhruva means pole star, dhruva-ka betyder means belonging to the pole star. The basic meaning of Sanskrit dhruvaka ≈ pole height meter / post iron meter.
