The Week Days
The concept of seven days of the week has not been imported from western countries to India. That concept is there even in RigVeda. In Taittiriya Samhita 7-4-7 a Yajna of 49 nights is mentioned. That 49 nights Yajna was performed by sage Vasishta to defeat Sudasa. It is said that a man performing 49 nights yajna gets Viraja. 49 nights fit in multiple of seven only. It does not fit in any other system say of Masa, Paksa, Nakshatra cycle etc. Therfore it is confirmed that in vedic era, a unit of seven days was in use.
Taittiriya Samhita 5-6-7 states that one should be consecreted for six days (sadaha) because there are six Ritus in a Samvassara. Further at 7-5-6 it states that after six days rites they leave out one day (as holiday?), this way they achieved one Masa.
Six Ritus (season) Vasanta, Grishma, Varsha, Sarad, Hemanta and Sisira are seen only in India, not in Europe or Western countries. Therefore I can say that the week day system arose in India out of Yajna custom.
The week day system has probably some relation to Naksatra cycle too. In ancient India days were named or counted after Nakshatras. The moon resides in one Nakshatra for one day. Next day it goes to next Nakshatra. The moon moves on the path composed of 28 Nakshatras. Therefore four cycles of seven days composed a Nakshatra-Masa which was used by ancient Indians.
Pages 54-69
Rohini sakata Bheda
More to read on this topic:
http://www.tifr.res.in/~archaeo/papers/Astronomy%20and%20Sanskrit%20literature/rohini%20shakat%20bheda.pdf
The concept of seven days of the week has not been imported from western countries to India. That concept is there even in RigVeda. In Taittiriya Samhita 7-4-7 a Yajna of 49 nights is mentioned. That 49 nights Yajna was performed by sage Vasishta to defeat Sudasa. It is said that a man performing 49 nights yajna gets Viraja. 49 nights fit in multiple of seven only. It does not fit in any other system say of Masa, Paksa, Nakshatra cycle etc. Therfore it is confirmed that in vedic era, a unit of seven days was in use.
Taittiriya Samhita 5-6-7 states that one should be consecreted for six days (sadaha) because there are six Ritus in a Samvassara. Further at 7-5-6 it states that after six days rites they leave out one day (as holiday?), this way they achieved one Masa.
Six Ritus (season) Vasanta, Grishma, Varsha, Sarad, Hemanta and Sisira are seen only in India, not in Europe or Western countries. Therefore I can say that the week day system arose in India out of Yajna custom.
The week day system has probably some relation to Naksatra cycle too. In ancient India days were named or counted after Nakshatras. The moon resides in one Nakshatra for one day. Next day it goes to next Nakshatra. The moon moves on the path composed of 28 Nakshatras. Therefore four cycles of seven days composed a Nakshatra-Masa which was used by ancient Indians.
Pages 54-69
Rohini sakata Bheda
More to read on this topic:
http://www.tifr.res.in/~archaeo/papers/Astronomy%20and%20Sanskrit%20literature/rohini%20shakat%20bheda.pdf
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