Rationale of Zodiac - Celestial Rhythms of a Yogi

Abstract

Present paper is an attempt to invite the attention of the modern biological world onto the possibility of a specific geometry prevailing for the biorhythms arising out of luni-solar phenomena. Work has its genesis in the ancient Indian Tantric wisdom that postulated a sidereal luni-solar calendar and Zodiac along with eclipse related observances in their effort to realize mysterious psycho-physical potentialities. The most outstanding aspect of this prehistoric conception is that it names the Zodiac or fixed stellar frame of reference in terms of the Nodes of lunar orbit and the reference star chosen Mula or l-Scorpii is located close to the galactic center. This astronomical conception had as its basis the symbolic equivalence with the Tantric body described in terms of the "six wheels" of the cerebro-spinal axis, which may be identified with the autonomic nervous system and the associated endocrine glands, which display different endogenous rhythms. Paper attempts to raise a specific question: Can there be a specific geometry (apart from the light-dark cycle and seasons) such as that of the Tantric Zodiac for any of the biorhythms apparent in the human body? The tantric observances related to eclipses also requires investigation as to their role in the biorhythms associated with human body.

I. Introduction

The biological rhythms arising out of geophysical factors are:

§ 12.4 hours Tidal Circa Tidal
§ 24 hours Daily Circadian
§ 14.8 days - Circa Semi lunar
§ 29 days Monthly Circa Lunar
§ 365 days Yearly Circannual

As is well known these rhythms have their genesis in the Earth's spin, revolution round the sun and the superimposed revolution of the Moon round the Earth. Circadian, Circa Lunar and Annual rhythms have different stages distinguishable in terms of light, lunar phases and seasons. These three cycles are incoherent to each other and are apparently distinct environmental rhythms that exercise their impact over the biosphere. In both vertebrates and mammals these rhythms have been under study for quite some time now in respect of their durations guiding the formation of endogenous biological clocks and clock genes. An altogether different side of the problem is - whether these rhythms in their influence on human beings have a specific spatial geometry against the stellar/galactic background? As for example, considering the circannual rhythms which we describe as the year, can there be a specific beginning and end points for the cycle in its relation to the human body?

§ In the language of mathematics/geometry, is it possible to identify a zero point for the solar annual rhythm in terms of its impact over the human body?

An overview of the chronobiological literature suggests that the topic is new to the field and studies have not taken place in terms of a sidereal frame of reference for the apparent revolution of Sun around the earth against the background of stars. But clues regarding the possibility of a specific sidereal geometry for the circannual rhythms is apparent in the ancient science of Tantra that stipulated a sidereal or fixed Zodiac based calendar for Tantric observances to kindle the mystic power of Kundalini in human beings. Present paper is an attempt to invite the attention of modern biologists to the tantric way of life that relied upon many cosmic rhythms such as that of the eclipses in manipulating the tantric body described in terms of the "six occult wheels" (autonomic nervous system?) for gaining supernatural control over body functions. Those who may think of the tantric pursuit as irrelevant to modern biology may kindly have a look at the following words of A.L. Basham :

"The chief vein of the body, known as sus?umna runs through the spinal column. Along it at different points are six " wheels" or concentrations of psychic energy. At the top of the vein sus?umna within the skull, is sahasrara, a specially powerful psychic center symbolically referred to as a lotus. In the lowest "wheel", behind the genitals, is the Kun?d?alini, the "Serpent power", generally in a quiescent state. By yogic practices the Kun?d?alini is awakened, rises through the vein sus?umna, passes through all the six "wheels" of psychic force, and unites with the topmost sahasrara. By awakening and raising his kun?d?alini the yogi gains spiritual power, and by uniting it with Sahasrara he wins salvation. The awakened Kun?d?alini gives to the yogi superhuman power and knowledge, and many yogis have practiced yoga rather for this than for salvation. Some adepts of this form of yoga have developed powers which cannot fully be accounted for by European medical science and which cannot be explained away as subjective but the physiological basis of laya - and hatha -yoga is certainly false; there is no kun?d?alini, sus?umna or sahasrara. The ancient mystical physiology of India needs further study, not only by professional Indologists, but by open-minded biologists and psychologists, who may reveal the true secret of the yogi. For whatever we may think about his spiritual claims there is no doubt that the advanced yogi can hold his breath for very long periods without suffering injury, can control the rhythm of his own heart-beats, can withstand extremes of heat and cold, can remain healthy on a starvation diet, and, despite his austere and frugal life and his remarkable physical contortions, which would ruin the system of any ordinary man, can often survive to a very advanced age with full use of his faculties". (emphasis by present author)

II. Ancient Indian Tantric Calendar

The tantric calendar is based on a mathematical projection of the "Yogic biorhythms" on to the apparent solar and lunar orbits and the fixed stellar frame of reference so obtained is named after the Nodes of Solar and Lunar orbit which implies the tapping of a celestial rhythm inherent in the eclipses. In other words the impact of celestial rhythms over a yogic body suggested a specific geometry to the circannual rhythms - i.e., it suggested a specific sidereal luni-solar calendar having the star Mûla (l-Scorpii) as reference. Tantric sidereal zodiac had its signs relative to this stellar reference that became famous as Mûladharam (Mûla, the fiducial) and on the Yogic body it marked the position of genitals and bottom of the cerebro-spinal axis. In legends this supreme secret got personified as Mahakala or Great Time and it got scripted into ancient traditions as genital worship of time. As such the ancient Indian calendar had its New Year beginning coinciding with the solar transit over Mûla and such new years achieved great importance when it coincided with the new moon and other quadrangular positions of Moon relative to Sun. Typical examples of such positions can be found in AD 1971,1990, 2009 or in 1969, 1984, 1944, 1925etc . When ever the solar transit over Mûla coincided with the eclipses such epochs had greater significance to the tantric cults and this is reflected in the personification of the lunar nodes as the serpent of time adorned by Mahakala - a cryptic synonym of Mûla star. Similar luni-solar phenomena and New Year coinciding with the solar transit into Kanya got personified as Mahakali and thus ancient India had two systems of sidereal calendar the remnants of which can be found in the prevailing celebrations of Deepavali and Durgashtami or Kalashtami.

India today has a way of life carrying the signatures of the old Ages where Tantra or Saivagama had its sway over the society and most of the ancient Indian sciences had their origin in the tantric paradigm of life. One of the hallmarks of this ancient civilization as can be gleaned from ancient literature that have survived the onslaught of time had been an obsession with time as to worship it as a Great God - Mahakala of the ancient Tantra, as mentioned above a personification of the stellar reference (Star Mula) of the computation of time vis-à-vis the marker of the New Year. According to the modern Christian calendar Sun transits over this point around 16th of December which is nearly 43 solar days before the Dipavali celebrations of 2002 and this difference is a consequence of the loss of the true rationale of the festival as well as the luni-solar calendar. Deepavali originally had its rationale from the new moon and the first tithi of the bright half that coincided with the solar transit over Mula, which marked the New Year epoch of the worshippers of Lord Siva and sidereal luni-solar calendar. In calendar terms Margasirsha sukla-pratipada coinciding with the solar transit over Mula was the original Indian New Year, which is described in puranic literature as Bali-pratipada, in the name of the Great King of Asuras viz., Mahabali who ruled over the region surrounding the Narmada in present day Gujarat state of India. Star Mula also received personification as Kala - the lord of death, described also as Yama in the terminology of Yoga. End of the year on Karttika Krishna 30 and New Year of Margasirsha sukla-pratipada marked the Solar transit over the Muladhara of Kalapurusha - the seat of the occult power "Jyoti" (light) or "Mahakundalini" of the Universe. It is this basic astro-tantric rationale that led to the celebration of the New Year by lighting lamps.

From the above discussion it is apparent that the sidereal zodiac was conceived in pursuance of the Yogic feel of the geometry of circannual rhythms of luni-solar phenomena including the eclipses and this discovery lies at the bottom of the doctrines of Saivagama as is evident from the following cultural remnants.

1. Siva or Time personified receives the appellation Gangadhara and this is a pointer towards the year beginning or year marker situated at the point where Akasaganga cuts the ecliptic.

2. While doing pradakshina in a Siva temple there is injunction against the crossing of Ganga, which is at 2/3rds (should have been if not today) of the periphery.

3. Over the zodiac Mula marked the expiry of life - death - a reflection of the year ending. The Zodiacal symbolism may be further expressed as:
v 2400: Death Point on Zodiac: Muladharam: Kalalingam: Mahakala and Mahakali, Yama.

v "Jyoti" of Jyotihsastra is in fact the flame of Kundalini - Jyotihsastra, the science of Kundalini in terms of celestial lights and their rhythms

v 2400 and the Mula star also signify the abode of all spirituality and the source of Kundalini - Man's transcendence of disease and death as Yogi, Pasupati, Mrtyunjaya.

v The Deepavli legends such as that of Narakasura arose out of the identification of the Karttika Krishna 30 with Mula star as lord of death Yama or Narakasura meaning the Asura of the netherworld where Yama is seated. The portrayal of Narakasura as the son of Earth point towards a distant epoch of 4137 BC when the equator was coinciding with Mula.

v Evidences supporting the antiquity of the worship of Mula star as Siva include the worship of time as genitals and astronomical interpretation of Sivas iconography that survived the eons of time.

v It is worth noting that at Prag-Jyotishpura or Kamakhya - in the city of Narakasura - Devi is worshipped as genitals installed on the banks of Akasa Ganga and at the Navagraha temple all the nine Grahas are worshipped as Linga.

v As is the case with the Navagraha worship of Pragjyotishapura, in Kalahasti the serpent of time Rahu or the Rahu-Sikhi Chakra is worshipped as Linga.

III. Astronomical Factors Involved in this Geometry
It will be interesting to note that the star Mula or l-Scorpii is placed near the galactic center and as such the above described geometry of the circannual rhythm may be the result of the orientation of the galaxy with respect to the luni-solar-geo space. Seasonal phenomena in fact take place relative to the direction of the earth's axis in space (Dhruva in Indian mythology) and this direction is undergoing slow variation around the ecliptic axis (Vishnu in Indian mythology) to complete the precession cycle of nearly 25920 years. In terms of ecliptic longitudes, the Galactic center is at 242015' [b=(-5032')] and the Galactic North Pole is at 155026' [b= - 29049'] with reference to Muladharam defined to be at 2400. It is apparent that the tantric calendar is reflective of the geometry of galaxy as the annual rhythm is about a fixed star having no proper motion placed close to the galactic center. A fixed frame of reference can be seen with the ecliptic poles also around which the earth's axis cuts a cone.
Seasonal phenomena takes place without a fixed reference and may vary from place to place as we see between north and south hemispheres. But the circannual rhythm implicit in the ancient Indian tantric calendar is universal and is specific to the human body and had also implications in Ayurveda in the matter of collection, preparation and administration of medicines. This is further evident from the fact that the sidereal sign or Rasi Dhanu that began the New Year received personification as Dhanvantari or Vaideesvara, Siva's incarnation as Physician with the elixir of immortality.
Apart from the year beginning and end the Tantric Zodiac presents the 12 solar transits in to the 30-degree signs conceived with reference to Mula as being significant in the lives of a human being. Sidereal and synodic revolutions of the Moon too are utilized in conjunction with solar movement in the Yogic processes.
IV. Human Physiology in Tantra
Tantra is very specific in its choice of the cerebro-spinal axis alone as constituting the abode of the Yogic power Kundalini. Even though the abstract terminology of Tantra (Shadchakras or the Six wheels) defies comprehension, in modern times the researchers have identified the abode of Kundalini as the autonomic nervous system the two branches viz., sympathetic and parasympathetic of which (Ida & Pingala or Sun & Moon) sandwiches the central nervous system (Sushumna) . The autonomic components form plexuses where they cross each other and these nerve centers in turn control the endocrine organs. Tantra stipulates the existence of six wheels about which the following identification may be made based on modern researches in chronobiology and endocrinology.
· The crux of the tantric system as is evident from the terminology is "Ajna Cakra" or the "Wheel of Command" that may be identified as equivalent to the Pineal gland (thought to be vestigial till recent times) in which rests the control of the different biological rhythms. Occupying the center of the brain, it controls the endocrine system through the pituitary and hypothalamus. Pineal achieves the regulation of circadian rhythm through the diurnal/nocturnal production of neurohormones such as serotonin / melatonin having many different modes of action and bearing on the human mood circuits. Melatonin production is controlled by hypothalamic suprachiasmic nucleus (SCN) based on the feedback from other endocrine glands which may be identified with the other wheels of Tantra.

· The light sensitivity of the pineal gland has given it the name "third eye" - a concept that lies at the very foundation of Tantra, in the portrayal of Mahadeva. Apart from the control over biological clocks, PG is supposed to regulate metabolism and also the endocrine glands.
· An examination of the location and functioning of thyroid enables us to identify the same as Visuddhi Cakra located in the throat. Thyroxine regulates the metabolic rate of the body and neurochemically it's under the inhibitory control of the pineal gland with a feedback control as well. Many of the related hormones are found to exhibit circadian rhythms that call for appropriates timings in hormone therapy.
· Anahata Cakra may be identified as Thymus acting in conjunction with pituitary that produces prolactin as indicated by Serena Roney - Dougal . Thymus exercising control over the immune system is influenced by the neuro-endocrine system under the control of the pineal.
· Manipura Cakra is identified with Adrenals consisting of Cortex and Medulla - Cortex releases many stress/anxiety/metabolism/activity/controlling hormones on a rhythmic light-dark cycle linked with hormones from the pituitary and the hypothalamus. Medulla produces adrenaline that deals with short-term reactions to stress and management of glucose.
· Svadhishtana and Muladhara, the lower wheels are related to the Gonadal steroids, pituitary gonadotrophins etc., that have a bearing upon the functioning of generative organs. These have been found to be under the control of pineal gland via melatonin, which show rhythmic variation during menstrual cycle.
In the functioning of all these glands, chronobiology looks at only the light-dark and seasonal rhythms and not any other specific geometry possible. Tantric calendar suggests otherwise - a specific geometry linked to the galactic structure as influencing the psycho-physical rhythms (endogenous rhythm/ SCN circadian pacemaker) of the human body. It's worth remembering here that one of the most antique and exact discoveries of an astronomical phenomenon is the periodicity of eclipses apparent in the metonic or Saros cycle. Does this 19-year rhythm of the eclipses mean anything to a human body?
V. Conclusions
It is well known that all ancient civilizations had a pre-occupation with calendar phenomena and the cultural ruins of India, Babylon and Egypt attests the gigantic efforts gone into the making of a scientific calendar. Among all such efforts, the Tantric calendar is special and is based on a physical rationale that strikes a symbolic equivalence between the Zodiac and the Tantric body. Present author has made an effort here in to place the tantric idea of a circannual rhythm to the attention of modern biologists so that it becomes a topic for modern investigations. Tantric system suggests different rhythms of Sun and Moon operating upon the two components of the autonomic nervous system while the system as a whole responds in some mysterious way to the luni-solar rhythm apparent in the phenomenon of eclipses. The fact that the two invisible geometrical points where the orbits meet - the Nodes of the lunar orbit - was selected as of cardinal importance is evident from the name Rahu -Sikhi Cakra and this alone attests the scientific spirit and realization involved in the formulation of Tantric Calendar and Zodiac.