Indian Knowledge System(IKS)- Concepts and Applications in Engineering
Prof. B. Mahadevan
Week 05_Clip 07
Astronomical Instruments (Yantras)
So, we have seen so many concepts of Indian Astronomy upto computation of the Panchanga.
In this concluding part of the section, what we will do is we will talk about Astronomical
Instruments. Before we get into the details, I want to share with you an interesting story, “The
Prince of Wales” when he toured India during 1875-76, when he toured India during that time
the Maharaja of Banaras, Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh gifted some astronomical
instruments to the prince.
The astronomical instruments actually were prepared according to the descriptions of
Siddhanta Shiromani, which is written by Bhaskaracharya in 1150 CE. Before we understand
that, we will quickly go into a list of what was presented and what they signify because that
makes this an interesting part of the story. What you see here is a list of 10 instruments, which
I think belong to the kit that was presented to the Prince of Wales.
The first one is called Digamsa-Yantra and it is used for finding the degrees of Azimuth of a
planet or a star. Then there was a Dhruva-Protha-Chakra-Yantra for finding the degrees of
declination of a planet or a star. Yantra-Samrat, the king of instruments of finding the distance
from the meridian and the declination of a planet and of the sun and so on. You have a Bhitti-
Yantra which is a mural quadrant. You have Visuvad-Yantra for ascertaining the distance in
time of the Sun, or of any star from the meridian.
You have a Palaka-Yantra. You have a Chakra-Yantra. You have a Chapa-Yantra and Turiya-
Yantra for finding the zenith distance and altitude of the sun. You have a Sanku which is
nothing but Gnomon to ascertain the points of the compass, the place of the observer, latitude,
time and these are all very important instruments for basic astronomy.
Then you have Armillary Sphere which represents several celestial circles and by the threads
that are fastened within the globe it is possible to determine the parts of any spherical triangle
on the globe. So, there were a list of 10 such instruments, which were contained in that gift-kit
which the king of Banaras gave to the Prince of Wales, when he visited in 1875.
© All Rights Reserved. This document has been authored by Prof. B. Mahadevan and is permitted for use only within the course "Indian
Knowledge System (IKS)- Concepts and Applications in Engineering" delivered in the online course format by IIM Bangalore. No part of this
document, including any logo, data, illustrations, pictures, scripts, may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or
by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior permission of the author.
Indian Knowledge System(IKS)- Concepts and Applications in Engineering
Prof. B. Mahadevan
Week 05_Clip 07
The Maharaja presented a clock showing the signs of the zodiac, phases of the moon, dates of
the month, day of the week, hours and minutes. Actually, if you look at all these, this list of
instruments and this clock and all that that we are talking these bear testimony to the status of
astronomy as practice in India.
It is merely a testimony to that because you basically had everything that is required for
astronomical calculations and so on. So, that brings us to the question. Astronomy is a science
of observation and computation. The positions and movements of heavenly bodies have to be
observed and recorded very accurately, before a theory to explain that motions can be
propounded that is number one.
The theories have to be revised if the predictions of the model do not tally with the actual
observation. So, that is another reason why we need to think about it. Also, for several
astronomical computations the time since the sunrise has to be measured precisely that forms
the basis for a lot of astronomical computations. In the case of motions of stars, planets and
other luminaries in the sky visual observations are not likely to be accurate.
So, we need some instruments it is very necessary that we devise certain instruments to
ascertain the positions and motions of heavenly bodies and measure the duration of time. So,
that makes it very important element of a well-developed astronomy field of knowledge.
So, Indians were actually focusing their effort on that also. So, let me very quickly give you a
list of astronomical instruments described in Siddhanta Shiromani, which I you know made a
mention of it a little earlier also. So, you have what is called the Gola-yantra which is the
armillary sphere; a sphere in which all movable and fixed circles are designed. This instrument
serves the purpose of an astrolabe actually.
Then you have Cakra-yantra, a wooden or a metallic wheel-like structure with an axis in a hole
at the centre; used to determine the longitudes and latitudes of the planets. You have Capa-
yantra this is half the structure of the cakra yantra. You have a Turiya-yantra, this constitutes
one quadrant of the Cakra, these are two variations of the Cakra yantra actually. Then
Nadivalaya, a chakra in the plane of the equator used to determine directly timings of rising
and setting of signs and so on.
© All Rights Reserved. This document has been authored by Prof. B. Mahadevan and is permitted for use only within the course "Indian
Knowledge System (IKS)- Concepts and Applications in Engineering" delivered in the online course format by IIM Bangalore. No part of this
document, including any logo, data, illustrations, pictures, scripts, may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or
by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior permission of the author.
Indian Knowledge System(IKS)- Concepts and Applications in Engineering
Prof. B. Mahadevan
Week 05_Clip 07
Then you have Ghati-yantra, which is a drona a bowl shaped drona water clock with a hole at
its bottom. You have Nara or Sanku or the Gnomon made of Ivory or a metal. You have a
Phalaka-yantra described a plank with a circle of radius 30 angulas drawn on it. The circle
graduated in ghatis and degrees, the instrument can be read zenith distance directly.
You have a Dhi-yantra, it is a simple stick instrument augmented by a plumbline-like device
to assign vertical directions used to determine the heights and distances of objects. So, I just
gave you a little sense of how Siddhanta Shiromani has described so many yantras, which are
very crucial for a well-established body of knowledge and theory and observation and
prediction etcetera in the context of astronomy.
So, in the next video we will just look at one or two such yantras, I will just show you a little
bit of this yantras as a prototype of that and show how they are being used given that there are
a number of yantras which are already being described in Siddhanta Shiromani.
© All Rights Reserved. This document has been authored by Prof. B. Mahadevan and is permitted for use only within the course "Indian
Knowledge System (IKS)- Concepts and Applications in Engineering" delivered in the online course format by IIM Bangalore. No part of this
document, including any logo, data, illustrations, pictures, scripts, may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or
by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior permission of the author.
