Varāhamihira

Varāhamihira was a wise person who lived a long time ago in India, around the year 505 to 587. He is known by different names, such as Varāha or Mihira. He lived in a place called Ujjain, which is now in a region of India called Madhya Pradesh.

Varāhamihira was very good at math and studying the stars and planets. People came to him for advice about important events and decisions because he could predict things that would happen in the sky and on Earth. His work helped many people understand the world better.

Date

Varāhamihira does not mention his own date in his writings. But scholars think he lived in the 6th century CE, maybe even at the end of the 5th century.

In his book Pancha-siddhantika, Varāhamihira talks about the year 427 in the Shaka calendar. If we match this to the Shaka era, it means he lived around 505 CE. Other ideas about the calendar put him earlier, but this does not fit because he talks about the work of Aryabhata, who was born in 476 CE. The exact date Varāhamihira gives matches March 20–21, 505 CE.

Some think 505 CE might be when he started writing Pancha-Siddhantaka, or maybe when he was born or another big moment in his life. One writer from much later says Varāhamihira died in 587 CE. If he wrote his work in 505 CE at age 25, he would have lived over 105 years, which seems too long. So some scholars say he lived from about 505 to 587 CE, but others are not sure because the writer lived a long time after Varāhamihira.

There is an old story that Varāhamihira lived in the first century BCE with a famous king named Vikramaditya. But this story comes from a book called Jyotirvid-abharana, which was written much later and is not true. Varāhamihira did not live at the same time as some of the other people in that story, like Kalidasa.

Early life

We know most about Varāhamihira's life from a poem he wrote called Brhaj-jataka. According to this, he lived in a place called Avanti, was the son of a man named Aditya-dasa, and studied in a town called Kapitthaka thanks to help from the sun god.

Varāhamihira's father likely taught him about jyotisha, which is Indian astrology and astronomy. One writer, Utpala, called him "Magadha-dvija." Some think this means he was a priest from the Magadha area. Others think it links him to a group of people who worshipped the sun, called the Magas. These Magas came from priests known as the Magi who lived a long time ago in a place called the Achaemenid Empire.

Residence

Varāhamihira described himself as being from Avanti, an area in central India. Later writers called him a teacher from Avanti. Historians think this means he lived in or near the city of Ujjayini in the Avanti region.

Some historians believe Varāhamihira lived during the time of a king named Dravya-vardhana from the Aulikara kingdom, which ruled Avanti. Others disagree, thinking he may have lived under different rulers. There is no clear proof that he had a special royal patron.

Religion

Many believe Varāhamihira came from a family of priests who worshipped the sun. He honored the sun god Savitur and said he gained his knowledge through the sun's grace. He wrote about the sun in many of his poems.

Varāhamihira knew the old traditions of his people and suggested performing certain rituals and chanting special poems. He also wrote about many gods and goddesses, including Vishnu, Shiva, and Indra. Interestingly, he also wrote about Buddha with respect, showing kindness toward different beliefs.

Works

Varāhamihira is known for writing important books about astronomy and astrology. He was also a skilled poet, and a writer from the 1100s called Kshemendra praised his poetic talents.

He wrote several works, including both detailed and shorter books. Some of his well-known books include Pancha-siddhantika, Brhaj-jataka, and Brhat-samhita. The exact order of when he wrote some of these books is not fully known, but scholars have tried to figure it out using clues from the books themselves and comments from later writers.

Influences

The works Romaka Siddhanta and Paulisa Siddhanta from Western sources influenced Varāhamihira's ideas. Some people wrongly thought the Pauliṣa Siddhānta was written by Paul of Alexandria, but scholars like David Pingree showed this was not true.

Varāhamihira may have been the first in India to use zodiac signs and calculations for important ceremonies. His writings included 35 Greek astronomy terms, showing he understood Greek science well. He admired the Greeks for their skills in science.

Legacy

After he passed away, Varāhamihira became known as the most important writer on jyotisha. His books were used by many later Indian astrologers and astronomers, who often said his work was one of their main sources. Even a writer from the 11th century, Al-Biruni, praised Varāhamihira and called him an excellent astronomer.