Introduction

In his immortal work The Light of Truth original: "Satyarth Prakash", published in 1874 AD, Swami Dayananda Saraswati provided a comprehensive curriculum for the study and teaching of school graduates. This curriculum holds historical significance because, prior to Rishi Dayananda's plan, there was no all-encompassing system of curricula in this country. In 1858 AD, three universities were opened in the country—those of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. In 1888 AD, two more universities (after the death of Maharishi Dayananda) were established in Prayag modern-day Prayagraj and Lahore. Sanskrit examinations of the kind held in Kashi Varanasi had also not yet begun. Therefore, we can say with certainty that Rishi Dayananda’s comprehensive curriculum method was the first effort in this direction. After the study of grammar and related subjects, the Rishi suggested teaching the ManusmritiThe Laws of Manu; an ancient legal and social text, Valmiki's RamayanaThe epic poem detailing the life of Rama, the MahabharataThe great epic of the Bharata dynasty, the Six Systems of Philosophyoriginal: "Shad Darshan"; the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, the Brahmana TextsExpository layers of the Vedas, and the UpavedasSecondary Vedic sciences (specifically AyurvedaThe science of medicine, DhanurvedaMilitary science/archery, GandharvavedaThe science of music and dance, and Arthaveda-ShilpadiEconomics, mechanics, and the arts). He then wrote that for two years, students should properly learn the Science of Lightoriginal: "Jyotish Shastra"; encompassing astronomy and astrology and the Sun-Treatiseoriginal: "Surya-Siddhanta", which includes Algebraoriginal: "Bijaganita", Arithmetic, Geographyoriginal: "Bhugol", Astronomyoriginal: "Khagol", and Geologyoriginal: "Bhugarbha Vidya".

The original source of astronomical subjects is the verses of the Vedas. The 164th hymn of the first book of the RigvedaThe oldest of the four Vedas is named the Asyavamaiya Hymn. The seer original: "mantradrashta rishi"; the sage who "saw" or realized the sacred verse of this hymn is Dirghatamas. This hymn is an inspiring source for the science of astronomy—

The wheel of Order original: "Rta"; the cosmic law with twelve spokes turns round and round the heavens; it never ages, it is never weary. Here, O Fire-God Agni, stand the seven hundred and twenty sons in pairs.

The sun's wheel, which has twelve spokes representing the twelve months, turns continuously; it never tires, never decays, and never dies. It has 720 "sons" (representing 360 days and 360 nights). In the AtharvavedaThe fourth Veda, dealing with daily life and rituals, there are two hymns in the nineteenth book (hymns 7 and 8) whose seer is Gargya. In these hymns, a calculation of the 27 lunar mansions original: "Nakshatras" is given. Taking inspiration from the Vedas, the Sage Lagadha composed the Vedanga JyotishThe astronomical auxiliary to the Vedas, whose verses are found under the names Rig-Jyotish and Yajur-Jyotish. Lagadha's era is considered to be before 600 BCE. Another term for astronomy is the Science of Time Determination original: "Kala-Vidhana-Shastra"; see Yajur-Jyotish 3. Lagadha also used the word "Mathematics" original: "Ganita" in this same sense, and expressed the majesty of this branch of the Vedic limbs in this way—