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Nearly all the modern scholars having extensive knowledge on Vedic astronomy think that the Vedic sages tried their level best to develop an error-free and accurate calendar. The present author a votary of utilitarian philosophy does not believe that the Vedic society was a time-bound 'rat-race' where an accurate calendar was of

absolutely necessity. The reason behind this obsession of the Vedic sages to formulate an error-free calendar can be found in their religious belief and not in the mundane and social requirements.

The Vedic Hindu religion, like most other religions, used to function on two separate planes; one refined, dealing with sublime 'Atman' (soul) and infinite 'Brahman' (the supreme creator); and the other a more profane plane which functioned on the quid pro quo basis, where the deities in the form of gods, the Adityas and manes were prayed for boons, protection, and even incentives were offered to 'leave in peace'. By the time the Rig-Veda took a concrete form, the religious procedures of the Vedic Aryans were well -codified. Favours from the deities were asked not only for major social events as migration (yatra), warfare, sowing, harvesting etc. but for personal favours too in the case of pregnancy (valorous and generous male child); house construction and occupation (protection from fire), disease (should be non fatal) etc. At that socio-cultural stage, the Vedic Aryans were absolutely sure about their faith. The deities were 'correctly identified' along with the subjects they manage or control. The incantations (mantras) properly pronounced were accepted as infallible. The link between the gods in heaven and the earthlings was the sacred fire of 'yajna'. The quantity and quality of the sacrifice depended upon the value and urgency of the boon prayed for. In this fail -proof chain of certainty the only weak link was how to ascertain the proper time when the gods are in munificent mood. The gods and the Adityas were not supposed to be responsive year round and all the twenty-four hours.

If the deity did not answer the prayer, it could only mean that the sacrifice was not offered in the 'proper time'. The search for 'proper time' was the reason, which egged Vedic sages for astronomical observations and calculations. Kedarnath Prabhakar wrote "dates (tithis) were required to find a suitable day and time to do the yajna (Ved our Jyotish: Hind. P.27). S.A. Paramhans is more explicit. He states, "yajnas adhere strictly to the rules of time which were told by astronomy"(Astronomy in Ancient India … Prevalence. P. 149).

To determine the 'auspicious time' the required informations are the month (solar position) and the tithi (lunar phase), but the final determining factor (Kalavidana) was the Astakas, the method of knowing the coincidence of relevant constellations (Naksatras) with the Moon. As each god, Aditya and manes were supposed to have their own favourite Naksatra, the Astakas (conjunction) were gradually replaced by 'lordship of a deity over a particular Naksatra and the deities got permanently attached to their own Naksatras. It is the system of 'Naksatra isti' where a prayer or a sacrifice is made through yajna to the ruling deity of the other mundane subject. The Naksatras by the strength of their association with any particular deity gradually acquired a part of the same power from their lord and ultimately may even become more prominent than their 'master'. In that process some deities lost all significance. In the verses commending favourable marriage of a daughter when the Moon is in conjunction with the Swati Naksatra, or commencing a successful raid or war under the 'sway of the Abhijit Naksatra', no reference of the ruling deity has been made (Naksatra and Vedic Astrology -T. N. Dharmadhikari).

These observations support our postulation that the Vedic Aryans were highly 'practical people' and the Vedic astronomy was astrology oriented. Being astrology (result) oriented the touchstone to test the veracity of the astronomical reading was not mathematical calculation, or even sighting, but by the successful result obtained if a particular activity was commenced under definite 'auspicious Naksatra'.

The regime of pure, uncontaminated Vedic astrology ended some time in the 8th century B.C. 'Pre Mahavira, Jain literature' (Tirthankaras) mentions zodiacal houses and signs (6th century B. C.). It is generally believed that pure Vedic astrology got lost (suppressed) during the Buddhist period and was revived during the first Hindu renaissance. The first systematic and complete classification of the Naksatras, on the basis of activities they are supposed to patronize is found in the work of Parasara. This classification (if not been interpolated in the later ages) must have been formulated before 6th and after 8th century B.C. as Parasara has also described zodiacal -ascendant based astrology which has nowhere been described before 9th century B.C. (Vasistha's age?). In that period some Aryan tribes came in close contact with the Mesopotamian culture and a composite culture known as Amlash came up, whereas other Aryan groups resisted this 'Asura' influence. Parasara's work on the classification of Naksatras has been extensively quoted in Vrihad Samhitas rendering into English by M. Ramakrishna Bhat (Pub. Motilal Banarasidas. Delhi.1982) and though roughly 1200 years separates Varahmihira from Parasara, there is plenty of similarity between these two classifications of the Naksatras (Chapter 98. Vrihadsamhita). In the other two chapters of the Vrihadsamhita the stellar alignment (chap. 15 and stellar effects on birth (chap. 101) greater differences between Parasara and Varahamihira can be noticed. The basic difference is that Parasara recognized 28 Naksatras, whereas Varahamihira used 27 Naksatras (excluded Abhijit).

Abhijit's precarious position in Indian astronomy/astrology is explained by S.D. Sharma, "Abhijit is not to be included in these considerations. It was in fact included in the list quite late around a few hundred years B.C. or so, and again dispensed with (Pre -Vedanga astronomy. S.D. Sharma. P. 143)."