Fall of Revati from Heaven

The Hindu myths, in the Greek fashion, are transferred in man star picture. Hindus while maintaining their own unique ideas, also absorbed the Greek (Yavan) ideas, and often gave them an Indian setting. The heavenly bodies are personified. The information exhibited in these myths, fables and hymns is loosely connected with Nature’s phenomena. Puranic fables are concerned with the attributes, functions and praise of certain divinities that are only very loosely connected with heavenly bodies. The stories often exhibit real pieces of history interwoven with esoteric wisdom of the then period. Episodes in puranic stories blend so subtly that one is often at a loss to even believe its truthfulness.

In Markandey Puran chapter ‘Revat Manu ki uttpatti aur unke Manvantar ka varnan’ and SriDevibhagvattam, Mahatmya, Chapter 4, there is a story of Fall of Revati from heavens due to the curse of an ascetic Ritwaak, after consultations with Garga muni about the misconduct of his son. Revati nakshatra immediately fell on Kumudgiri (later to be known as Raivtak/Raivtachal is near Dwarka, Gujrat) hill metamorphosing itself in to a beautiful damsel. That beautiful lady brought up by another ascetic Pramuch, marries a king Durdam, son of Vikramsheel and mother Kaalindi, in Priyavratt lineage, of whom was born 5^th Manu Raivatt. Revati, the foster daughter of Pramuch, insists that her marriage be solemnized in Revati nakshatra. Pramuch tells her that this nakshatra is no more in zodiac. Pramuch re-establishes Revati nakshatra in zodiac and solemnized rites of marriage in this constellation. King Durdum was also blessed by Pramuch that he will have a son who will become the 5^th Manu Raivatt.

These stories are the records of the astronomical observations.

Revati is a part of constellation Meena/Pisces (Fishes). Revati ia 27^th star of constellation, also known as Pusha, Paushtha in Sanskrit This Nakshatra has 6 main stars:

1.   δ Piscium, 63 Piscium, magnitude 4.43

2.   ε Piscium, 71 Piscium, magnitude 4.28

3.   μ Piscium, 98 Piscium, magnitude 4.84

4.   ν Piscium, 106 Piscium, magnitude 4.44

5.   ζ Piscium, 111 Piscium, magnitude 4.62

6.   Alrisha, α Piscium, 113 Piscium, magnitude 4.33.

The nakshatras are generally 27 in number (Mahabharata i 66:16, xii 207:24, xii 343:57) but 28 seems occasionally to be implied (eg in Mahabharata v 110:15, ix 34:6). It was convenient to divide zodiac in 27 equal parts than 28. When Revati was dropped then Abhijit remained part of constellation. When Abhijit was dropped, Revati was again accepted as the 27^th nakshatra in the zodiac. There is a reference to the disappearance of Abhijit: “The lady Abhijit, the younger sister of Rohini, being jealous, has repaired to the woods to perform austerities, and I am at a loss to form a substitute for the fallen star (Mahabharata iii 230:2).”

Abhijit is a part of Lyra (Lyre). This Nakshatra has 1 main star, Vega, α Lyrae, 3 Lyrae, magnitude 0.03, and it is very far off situated on the path traversed by Moon. So Abhijit was permanently dropped as the zodiac constellation.

From the following table it is clear as to when this event of ‘Fall of Revati’ could have happened. The first star of Aries (Mesha), Asvini coincided with the last star of Pisces (Mina) namely Revati.

Fall of Revati

Date	Revati ξ Piscium/ 111 Piscium	Asvini β Arietis/ 6 Arietis	Difference
	HMS	HMS	HMS
2183 BC	22 19 16	22 19 16	00 00 00
2182 BC	22 19 19	22 19 19	00 00 00
2181 BC	22 19 22	22 19 22	00 00 00
2180 BC	22 19 25	22 19 26	00 00 01
2179 BC	22 19 28	22 19 29	00 00 01
2178 BC	22 19 32	22 19 32	00 00 00
2177 BC	22 19 35	22 19 35	00 00 00
2176 BC	22 19 38	22 19 38	00 00 00
2175 BC	22 19 41	22 19 41	00 00 00

From the above table it is clear that during 2183-2181 and 2178-2174 BC, both Revati and Asvani coincided exactly. So for practical calculation purposes one of these nakshatras among Revati and Asvini was suffice and one of them has to be dropped out for all purposes. It was an observed celestial phenomenon by ascetic Ritwaak. By the end of 2174-2173 BC again difference of degrees between Revati and Asvini was observed by another rishi Pramuch, the foster father of Revati, who placed the Revati nakshatra again in the zodiac, at the behest of Revati, the damsel. The import of the allegory is self-evident.

This parable of Fall of Revati features following historical characters: Ritwaak, Garg, Pramuch, Gautam, Revati, Raivatt the 5^th Manu, Lomash, Vikramsheel & Kaalindi (father and mother of king Durdum) and Durdum from the lineage of Priyavratt.

The period of this story can be safely decided between 2183—2174 BC.