Astronomical Evidence on the Age of the Rgveda
By Narendra Nath Law
Summary
Dr. Narendra Nath Law’s supplement evaluates astronomical evidence relating to the antiquity of the Ṛgveda. He compares ritual calendars in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā, Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇa and analyses how differences in New Year observances reflect shifting celestial knowledge. By examining equinox precession and the identification of the pole star, he critiques earlier proposals by Jacobi and Tilak that placed the Ṛgveda in a remote Arctic age. Law argues that while astronomical clues are valuable, they cannot yield precise dates and that the Ṛgveda likely dates to the second millennium BCE. The study cautions against overreliance on archaeoastronomy and emphasises the need to integrate textual, linguistic and archaeological evidence.
Conclusion
Law’s careful synthesis of textual and astronomical data argues for a mid‑second‑millennium BCE date for the Ṛgveda. By critiquing extreme chronologies and highlighting the limits of astronomical inference, the supplement encourages a balanced, multi‑disciplinary approach to Vedic chronology.