3000 BCE Great Flood and ‘Rohini Sakata Bhedanam’
By : Arvind Bhagwath
In Hindu Astrology, it is believed that combination of Nakshatras and Navagrahas affects a person’s happiness, success and all-round prosperity. The good and bad, positive and negative influences of each of these nine planets are results of factors like the specific location of the planets on the birth chart, etc. Planets possessing good (Sattva nature) are Jupiter, Sun and Moon. Planets bearing rajas(either good or bad) are Venus and Mercury while planets with Bad(Tamas nature) are Mars, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu.
In Hindu Mythology, Chandra (Moon God) is synonymous to Soma. Other names include Indu (“bright drop”), Atrisuta (“son of Atri”), Sachin (“marked by hare”), Tārādhipa (“lord of stars”) and Nishakara (“the night maker”). Chandra (Moon God) is married to Daksha’s 27 daughters who are 27 Nakshatras in night sky and these are the 27 divisions of the zodiac based on the moon’s daily motion of 13 degrees and 20 minutes. 27 daughters of Daksha (Creator God) who got married to Moon God form 27 days of a month.
Moon God (Chandra) spends 1 day with each wife in a month that is equal to lunar mansion as shown below:
‘Rohini Sakata Bhedanam’ and importance of Nakshatras and Planet Astronomy in Ancient Texts
Rohini (रोहिणी) is a goddess in Hindu culture and the favorite consort of Chandra, the moon god. She is a daughter of Daksha and sister of the 26 other Nakshatras.
As per Shiva Purana, when Daksha gave away his 27 daughters, he got an undertaking that Chandra would not show favoritism towards any of his wives. However, Moon God (Chandra) is drawn to Rohini. Daksha comes to know of Chandra Deva spending more time with Rohini gets cursed by Daksha. However, Moon God (Chandra) prays to Shiva and gets a boon with a compromise. During Krishnapaksha Chandra would wane and during Shuklapaksha, the bright part of the lunar fortnight, Chandra would wax. This explains the waning and waxing moon as per ancient Hindu mythology.
The moon is exalted and very powerful around this nakshatra. In Vedic theology the moon is considered a manifestation of the mind of God.
Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated as birth of Lord Krishna when Sun is in own sign and Moon in Rohini Nakshatra.
In most of ancient Hindu Puranas, we have this famous word ‘Rohini Sakata Bhedanam’. This phenomenon was observed during the times of Ramayana when Ravana abducts Sita and also during Mahabharata War. Great wars and destruction happened every time this peculiar phenomenon appeared in the sky.
In 46th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, Rohini is mentioned as dear wife of the moon and compared with Sita. Here bad planet would be Saturn when he abducts Sita.
Taam apashyat tato baalaam raaja putriim yashasviniim || 3–46–5
rohiNiim shashinaa hiinaam grahavat bhR^isha daaruNaH |
Explanation: Rohini is the principle star and dear wife of the Moon will be in lunar asterism of the same name, and when she comes in the view of planets like Saturn and Mars astrology predicts earthly havocs. Hence, Ravana is compared with such a planet and Sita with Rohini.
In Hindu astronomy, Aldebaran is Rohini nakshatra and Planet Saturn is referred as Shani. The particular mention of ‘Rohini Sakata Bhedanam’ in Indian literature is an event of great significance. This event occurs when Saturn or Mars is near Rohini Nakshatra. These events are mentioned in Ramayana and during great Mahabharata wars. Destruction happened every time this peculiar phenomenon appeared in the sky and below is mention in Ramayana.
It forebodes evil and destruction
When Saturn leaves Krittika and nears Rohini
Sages call this “Breaking of Rohini’s wain”
It brings great sorrow and misery
Brihat Samhita XLVII// 14 // captures this event as below:
Explanation: When Saturn, Mars or a comet cuts the Wain of Rohini, what shall I say, the whole world will perish being plunged in the ocean of misery/disaster.
Maharishi Vyasa has sketched out complete mention of astronomical events leading up to the start of the great Mahabharata war. These details have now proved extremely useful for astronomers and researchers to ascertain possible dates for the key events of the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
For example, in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, King Dhritarashtra is the King of the Kuru Kingdom and we can find similar comparison In Bhīṣmaparva 2, Vyāsa informs King Dhritarashtra on bad omens that happened during Mahabharata war and explains about Saturn in Rohini.
Rohiṇīṃ pīḍayanneṣa sthito rājañśanaiścaraḥ
Vyāvṛttaṃ lakṣma somasya bhaviṣyati mahadbhayam
Explanation: Saturn stands tormenting Rohini, O king. The (hare) sign of the Moon has disappeared. There will be great danger/fear.
Moon getting disappeared in above verse refers lunar eclipse during that time.
Below is the event that I was able to locate in Stellarium in about 3066 BCE as per this verse. We can find similar event in about 5500 BCE using Stellarium which could be reason of this event mentioned in Ramayana verse or this could also be the older Hindu Puranic event of Great Flood. We have clear archaeological proofs of Great Flood during these times and astronomical observations by these ancient civilization place a very important role to get timeline when these epics were composed.
I was not able to get the Lunar eclipse event in 3067 CE with Moon in Krittika and Saturn tormenting Rohini. However after some research, I got some solution from below site.
Reference : https://www.hermetic.ch/lcef/lcef_um12.htm
For times in the distant past there is considerable uncertainty about the value of delta T. The uncertainty in the value of delta T outside the range -1000 CE through 2500 CE is too large for lunar phases and eclipse dates to be computed precisely, so Lunar Calendars and Eclipse Finder accepts dates only in the range -3200–01–01 CE through 6000–01–01 CE (or equivalents in other calendars).
Above is the clarity that I am referring from this site and applied in Stellarium too. To check them using this software the year must be expressed in the astronomical system of year numbering: 3067 B.C. = -3066 CE.
We also have other supporting verse in Bhīṣmaparva 2.31 in which Vyasa is further explaining bad omens to King Dhritarashtra and all of these are observations during ‘Rohini Sakata Bhedanam’. Below is the observations towards Stars of Saptarishis (North Pole Star that time was near Thuban).
yā caiṣā viśrutā rājaṃstrailokye sādhusaṃmatā
arundhatī tayāpyeṣa vasiṣṭhaḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtaḥ
Explanation: O king, she who is praised in the three worlds and esteemed highly by the Sadhus, Arundhati, she has even placed her husband Vashistha on her back.
In Hindu astrology, the double stars of Vashistha and Arundhati are referred as an ideal couple and they consider this scenario as bad omen when wife carries her husband. Possibly sages could have observed this scenario immediately during ‘Rohini Sakata Bhedanam’ event and captured them in above mentioned verse.
In one of the rituals of a Hindu marriage, the groom shows the bride the double stars of Vashistha and Arundhati as an ideal couple, symbolic of marital fulfillment and loyalty. The couples are asked to look up the constellation symbolizing conjugal love and affection. On the second bright day of the lunar month of Chaitra, a fast in her honor is observed in certain regions of India by ladies whose husbands are alive. This fast is observed with the belief that the ladies observing it would not be widowed.
Since the Arundhati star is faintly visible, there is a belief that when someone is near death, they cannot see the Arundhati star. Due to its faintness, the Arundhati used to be shown in steps, first showing the brighter stars, and then relative to that the faint Arundhati star is directed.
The timeline around 3000 BCE is important in world history as event of global flooding and major catastrophe. To start, excavations in Iraq have revealed evidence of localized flooding at Shuruppak (modern Tell Fara, Iraq) and various other Sumerian cities. Other sites, such as Ur, Kish, Uruk, Lagash, and Ninevah, all present evidence of flooding. This is the probable date of the regional Great Flood when the river Euphrates rose. A layer of riverine sediments, radiocarbon dated to about 2900 BC, interrupts the continuity of settlement, extending as far north as the city of Kish, which took over hegemony after the flood. Polychrome pottery from the Jemdet Nasr period (3000–2900 BC) was discovered immediately below the Shuruppak flood stratum. Another hypothesis is that a meteor or comet crashed into the Indian Ocean around 3000–2800 BC, created the 30-kilometre (19 mi) undersea Burckle Crater, and generated a giant tsunami that flooded coastal lands. I agree with this hypothesis, since this could be also reason that ancient city of Dwarka flooded as mentioned in Hindu scriptures after Mahabharata War and if you note, timeline of 3000 BCE Mahabharata War and ‘Rohini Sakata Bhedanam’ in Indian literature matches exactly.
As per few Hindu scriptures, when the Mahabharata war started, Lord Krishna was 74 years old. The war lasted for 18 days. It mentions that Lord Krishna passed away after 7 years of Mahabharata war and after very few years of Krishna’s death, Dwaraka and Yadava dynasty were demolished with Dwarka flooded with sea water. Below is mention of Dwarka flooding in Mausala Parva of Mahabharata.
The sea, which had been beating against the shores, suddenly broke the boundary that was imposed on it by nature. The sea rushed into the city. It coursed through the streets of the beautiful city. The sea covered up everything in the city. I saw the beautiful buildings becoming submerged one by one. In a matter of a few moments it was all over. The sea had now become as placid as a lake. There was no trace of the city. Dwaraka was just a name; just a memory.
— Mausala Parva of Mahabharata
It clearly appears that around 3000 B.C.E, there has occurred a Great Flood that has caused destruction in almost all the civilization on the earth.
The Flood (3150 BC) 3150 BC (?). Abrupt cooling at higher latitudes, possibly related to oceanic effects, especially in Northern Europe, corresponding to peak of megalith cultures. Probable oscillation in sea level shortly before 3000 BC followed by 10–15 ft. alluvial deposition in river valleys.
Reference: https://web.stanford.edu/~meehan/donnellyr/summary.html
Apart from these events being very well captured in Ramayana and Mahabharata verses by preserving an oral tradition, African cultures preserving an oral tradition of a flood include the Kwaya, Mbuti, Maasai, Mandin, and Yoruba peoples. These events are also preserved in Sumerian Stone Tablets.
The Sumerian King List reads:
After kingship came down from heaven … the kingship was taken to Shuruppak. In Shuruppak, Ubara-Tutu became king; he ruled for 5 sars and 1 ner. In 5 cities 8 kings; they ruled for 241,200 years. Then the flood swept over.
The Flood: Mesopotamian Archaeological Evidence
Reference: https://ncse.ngo/flood-mesopotamian-archaeological-evidence
We can find similar flood myth in almost every human cultures.
A flood myth or deluge myth is a myth in which a great flood, usually sent by a deity or deities, destroys civilization, often in an act of divine retribution. Parallels are often drawn between the flood waters of these myths and the primeval waters which appear in certain creation myths, as the flood waters are described as a measure for the cleansing of humanity, in preparation for rebirth.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_flood_myths
Conclusion: With clear archaeological proofs of Great Flood around 3000 BCE with supported astronomical observations by these ancient civilization place a very important role to get timeline when these events could have happened that later supported to create narrative as epics that are available to us now. It appears that people of ancient civilization have migrated over places during every catastrophe and it is quite possible that same astronomical observation have been reused in different narratives as Great Flood when they narrated this to next generation either by oral method or later in form of scriptures when human scripts got evolved. Parallels can been drawn between the flood waters in many of these myths and the flood-myth motif occurs in many cultures as seen in: the Mesopotamian flood stories, Pralaya in Hinduism, the Gun-Yu in Chinese mythology, Deucalion and Pyrrha in Greek mythology, the Genesis flood narrative, Bergelmir in Norse mythology, the arrival of the first inhabitants of Ireland with Cessair in Irish mythology, the lore of the K’iche’ and Maya peoples in Mesoamerica, the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa tribe of Native Americans in North America, the Muisca and Cañari Confederation in South America, Africa, and some Aboriginal tribes in Australia.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_flood_myths
Star Myths: https://ancientstarmyths.blogspot.com/
Night Sky Planetarium: Stellarium — https://stellarium.org/
Verses are taken from Sacred Texts: https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m06/m06003.htm
