Was Qutub minar once Called Vishnu Dhvaja?

[sadasivamurty rani]

Respected Members! Pranams to all of you. Here is a snap of a Sanskrit Stone Inscription taken by me from one of the walls in the premises of Qutub Minar. Entire Account in the inscription is interesting and particularly the last line of the inscription gives some curious information. The last line of the inscription is like this: विष्णुपदे गिरौ भगवतो विष्नोर्ध्वज: स्थापित:। This gives rise to many questions like: 1. Was this Qutub Minar once called Vishnu Dhvaja? 2. Was the area of this structure called Vishnupada Giri? 3. In whose rule this might have been constructed? etc., If any one of you knows more about this please give the details. With Warm regards, Dr. Rani Sadasiva Murty

[Dr. S. Ramakrishna Sharma]

अभिवन्द्य,

 >1. Was this Qutub Minar once called Vishnu Dhvaja?

I remembere to have read that it was called Vishnu Dhvaja.
Perhaps in oen of the posts/mails by Sri Arun Kumar Upadhyay, IPS.
But that file is not easily located in my collections. However, something related is found.
The following excerpts are from a mail sent by Sri Arun Kumar Upadhyay, IPS  to me and others
on  Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 7:37 PM
Thanks to Sri ArunKumar Upadyay Ji.
Relevant points are highlighted by me.

"Vishnu purana 2/8 tells about Shishumara-chakra which is perpendicular to ecliptic plane around which earth’s axis rotates in 26000 years, called precession of equinoxes (also explained by Al-Biruni). This has been called Naka-svarga in Vedas (Madhusudan Ojha-Brahma-siddhanta etc.). Axis of solar system and galaxy (Parameshthi mandala) have been called Lingas in space in Shivapurana.
Kutub-minar is model of Sumeru of earth in space. At Delhi, its semi-vertical angle is equal to difference between true and mean latitude there. That was not known after Mahabharata till 1850 AD. In 456 BC at start of Sri-Harsha shaka (Al-Biruni, Abul Fazal), it was place of northern most position of moon on earth surface (inclination of earth’s axis 23.90 + inclination of moon’s orbit with ecliptic 5.020)-Refer my commentary on Siddhanta-Darpana, chapter 16. So, ‘Chandra’ has been written on iron pillar there. A pillar of 12 units (called Shiva-linga of 12 angula in Shiva purana) was used to measure time and latitude of a place. It is called Shanku in surya-siddhanta etc. Smallest shadow is at noon time and locus of shadow end around that time is in shape of a ‘Kutup’ called kuppi (funnel, thistle-kip) in Hindi. So, the muhurtta at noon time is called Kutupa-muhurtta. By bisecting the shadow line equi-spaced from noon, say at 11 and 13 hrs-we get north–south direction. This is explained as traversing in books of astronomical survey for M.Tech (civil). The bisection is by common part of two circles in shape of a ’Mina’ (fish), so the pillar is called Kutup-Mina or Kutub-minar.
Magnetic compass does almost same work, so it is called Kutub-numa. In that also, needle floating on mercury is called ‘Mina’. Local references of latitude also have been given name of fish like Rohataka ( almost at longitude of Ujjain) and Hilsa near Patna (100 east of Ujjain).
Mapping of earth surface of north (and south) hemisphere was in 4 sheets of 900 longitude width. It was centered round north pole called Meru or Sumeru. Bharata-varsha (India) has been called one of the 4 petals of that lotus (earth surface) as it roughly extends 450 west and 450 east of Ujjain. Thus, Meru has 4 faces and its linga (symbol) has square base-called Svayambhu linga as in Kaaba of Arab at west end of Bharata. Pyramids were constructed 450 and 1800 west of Ujjain in Ezypt and at Mexico (called Siddhapura in Surya siddhanta)-Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha kanda (40/54, 64).
South pole was called Kumeru (opposite to Sumeru in north). Aryabhata (Kali 360 = 2742 BC)

--
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)

--
Aangirasa/Dr.S.Ramakrishna Sharma. M.A.,Ph.D.(Eng.Lit.),Ph.D.(Sanskrit.).

[Tirumala Kulakarni]

Respected Sri Sadashivamurty Rani,

The mail is very much interesting. How this piece of history is interpreted - is a point of curiosity. After seeing your mail I saw a couple of links in internet. Like -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qutb_Minar . They give the details of its constructions. 

But here is a link - http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/modern/kutub_oak.html . It quotes P N Oak's sayings -

"About the Kutub Minar itself there is overwhelming proof that it was a Hindu tower existing hundreds of years before Kutubuddin and therefore it is wrong to ascribe the tower to Kutubuddin. 

The township adjoining the Kutub Minar is known as Mehrauli. That is a Sanskrit word Mihira-awali. It signifies the town- ship where the well known astronomer Mihira of Vikramaditya's court lived along with his helpers, mathemati- cians and technicians. They used the so-called Kutub tower as an observation post for astronomical study. Around the tower were pavilions dedicated to the 27 constel- lations of the Hindu Zodiac. .....................

The Hindu title of the tower was Vishnu Dhwaj (i.e. Vishnu's standard) alias Vishnu Stambh alias Dhruv Stambh (i.e., a polar pillar) obviously connoting an astronomical observa- tion tower. The Sanskrit inscription in Brahmi script on the non-rusting iron pillar close by proclaims that the lofty standard of Vishnu was raised on the hillock named Vishnupad Giri. That description indicates that a statue of the rec- lining Vishnu initiating the creation was consecrated in the central shrine there which was ravaged by Mohammad Ghori and his henchman Kutubuddin. The pillar was raised at the com- mand is an ancient Hindu king who had made great conquests in the East and the West. ....................."

Seeing the both readings one gets the question - whether the views expressed by P N Oak are verified by others?

On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 9:29 PM, sadasivamurty rani <ranisada...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Here is a snap of a Sanskrit Stone Inscription taken by me from one of the walls in the premises of Qutub Minar. Entire Account in the inscription is interesting and particularly the last line of the inscription gives some curious information. The last line of the inscription is like this: विष्णुपदे गिरौ भगवतो विष्नोर्ध्वज: स्थापित:।

Seeing the picture attached by you I got a question - according to the studies to which time this script belongs to?

Thanks for raising a wonderful  issue.

TK

This gives rise to many questions like: 1. Was this Qutub Minar once called Vishnu Dhvaja? 2. Was the area of this structure called Vishnupada Giri? 3. In whose rule this might have been constructed? etc., If any one of you knows more about this please give the details. With Warm regards, Dr. Rani Sadasiva Murty

--
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)

--
Dr. Tirumala Kulakarni
Asst. Prof. Alankara Dept.
Poornaprajna Vidyaapeetha
Vidyapeetha Circle
BANGALORE 560 028

[S. Kalyanaraman]

धन्योस्मि 

धन्यवादः कल्याणरामन

See the work of late Prof. Balasubramanian:

http://tinyurl.com/28zmjqv

kalyanaraman

[S P Narang]

In the Durgaspatasati, Iishadhvaja and Garudadhvaja are mentioned which were in the Himalayas : Perhaps near old Kamboja mentioned in the Nirukta ( mentioned as Kambu) which was an important centre of Indraism, Visnuism and Saivism from which the worship of women (durga) evolved when all the religions were defeated by the Daityas particularly by shumbha and Nishumbha. which are mentioned as Kumbha and Nikumbha in the Nilamata Purana of Kashmir. Kalidasa also mentioned them. Transport of the dhvaja is found in the inscriptions. The Jaina temple in the complex of Mehrauli also exhibits its antiquity of hinduism in this area. Regards, spnarang

---

From: Tirumala Kulakarni <tkula...@gmail.com>
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Mon, September 20, 2010 10:58:50 PM
Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Was Qutub minar once Called Vishnu Dhvaja?

[S P Narang]

This line is from the inscription at the monument near Ambedkar Depot at Daryaganj, Delhi. It is not from Mehrauli. spnarang

---

From: sadasivamurty rani <ranisada...@yahoo.com>
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Mon, September 20, 2010 9:29:04 PM
Subject: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Was Qutub minar once Called Vishnu Dhvaja?

[S P Narang]

Sir, Oak's monograph on Qutab is in detail and infromative. Regards, spnarang

---

From: sadasivamurty rani <ranisada...@yahoo.com>
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Mon, September 20, 2010 9:29:04 PM
Subject: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Was Qutub minar once Called Vishnu Dhvaja?

[Arun]

Viṣṇu-pada-giri- Viṣṇu is one of the three aspects of Brahma indicated
by 2nd pāda of Gāyatrī-mantra. We cannot see the original creator, but
can know about sun as it is radiating light (Bhargah). As sun, it is
holding earth as stated in common mantra of Bhūmi-pūjana-
पृथिवि त्वया धृता लोका देवि त्वं विष्णुना धृता ।
In same way Hercules also is stated that he was holding earth-as
depicted on trade-marks of Hercules cycles. Thus, Hercules means sun
here. Atlas also is stated that it had lifted earth on its shoulders.
Mountains have been called Bhūdhara, as they hold the continental
shelf of earth. Thus, mount Atlas is holding earth on its shoulder.
In space, 3 steps of Viṣṇu are 3 zones of solar system, starting with
sun at center. Zone up to 100 sun-diameters is reason of intense heat
(Tapa).
शत योजने ह वा एष (आदित्य) इतस्तपति (कौषीतकि ब्राह्मण उपनिषद् ८/३) स एष
(आदित्यः) एक
शतविधस्तस्य रश्मयः । शतविधा एष एवैक शततमो य एष तपति (शतपथ ब्राह्मण
१०/२/४/३)
Then, up to 1000 diameters (sphere enclosing Saturn orbit) is zone of
brightness (Sahasrāmśu, sahasrākśa etc).
युक्ता ह्यस्य (इन्द्रस्य) हरयः शतादशेति । सहस्रं हैत आदित्यस्य रश्मयः
(इन्द्रः=आदित्यः) जैमिनीय उपनिषद् ब्राह्मण १/४४/५)
असौ यस्ताम्रो अरुण उत बभ्रुः सुमङ्गलः । ये चैनं रुद्रा अभितो दिक्षु
श्रिताः सहस्रोऽवैषां हेड ईमहे ॥ (वा.यजु.१६/६)
Then, light (normal) zone is up to 100,000 diameters (Maitreya
Maṇḍala).-Vişņu purāņa (2/8) On earth, motion of sun is from Karka-
rekhā (240 north) to Makara- rekhā (240 south). For north hemisphere,
equator till 240 north is step 1. 3 steps will reach 720, but before
that Arctic circle starts at 660. Thus, the third step is on head of
earth, i.e. on head of its owner king Bali. Viṣṇu was the proper name
of Vāmana as stated at several places in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa etc. He
was not a dwarf man, but small compared to steps of sun which he
meant. Body of sun is in solar system, sphere of solid planets is
Dadhi- Vāmana (size of Dadhi Samudra in Bhāgavata purāṇa, skandha 5).
Within human body, soul (size of atom-10000 parts of hair end in
Śvetāśvatara upaniṣad (5/9)-
वालाग्र शत भागस्य शतधा कल्पितस्य च ॥ भागो जीवः स विज्ञेयः स चानन्त्याय
कल्पते ॥ (श्वेताश्वतर उपनिषद्, ५/९)
Thus, Viṣṇu-pada on earth is a place at Karka-rekhā. Now, it is at
23.50 north, in past it was up to about 260 north. Thus, it was
touching Mithilā in time of king Nimi (son of Ikśvāku) and once
Naimiśāraṇya, near Lucknow. Motion of sun on earth ends at its Nemi,
south end is Ariṣṭa-nemi as it is coldest time in north hemisphere.
Sun is eye, and its ends on earth are its eyebrows (Place of King
Nimi). In Mahābhārata period, Karka-rekhā was at Gayā, so it was
called Viṣṇu-pada-Tīrtha and still called, though it is now north of
it. Gayā or any mountain on Karka-rekhāi is Viṣṇu-pada-Giri.
In Sūrya-siddhānta an all texts of astronomy, a Śanku (cone) of 12
angulas is used for measuring its shadow. Whatever may be height of
Śanku, its 12 part is called 1 angula. That is used for finding north
south direction, latitude, local time, or declination of sun. Since
sun is Viṣṇu, it is Viṣṇu-dhvaja. In same sense, it is pillar of
Hercules. In Śiva purāṇa, his linga also is stated to be of 12 angula-
in that context it may mean the same.
Measurement of north-south direction is by shadow end of pole at equal
intervals of local true noon, say at 11 AM and at 1 PM. The path of
shadow is in shape of Thistle-kip called Kutupa (Kuppi in Hindi). That
time also is called Kutupa-muhūrtta (1136 to 1224 hrs) which is
considered in Śrāddha. That, shadow is bisected by 2 arcs whose common
point is in shape of Mīna (fish) to find north-south direction. So,
any device to find north direction is called Kutub-minar. Magnetic
compass was called Kutub-numa in Arabic.
Technically, Delhi cannot be called Viṣṇu-pada-Giri as it is about 50
north of old position of Karka-rekhā. So, it is assumed that Iron
pillar was originally built at a hill near Ujjain or Gaya and shifted
there. But it will be far easier to construct it at Delhi itself
rather than transporting to such distance. Actually, Kutub-minar is
inclined 50 south and is thus perpendicular on Karka-rekhā. Thus, the
place can be called Viṣṇu-pada-Giri as artificial construction. It is
northernmost position of moon in pre-Mahabharata era.
Megasthenese has stated that Hercules had constructed Palibothri town
or a pillar there. That pillar of Hercules can mean Kutub-Minar.
Palibothri was on banks of Yamunā, but without any basis it has been
equated with Pataliputra (Patna in Bihar). Actually, it was Paribhadra
which means same as Dehali in sanskrit-boundary wall of a house. It
was place of army of Kuru kings based at Hastināpuara on banks of
Ganga. The army itself has been called Prabhadraka-gaṇa under command
of Dhṛṣṭa-dyumna. Elephant army was at Gajāhvaya (Gaziabad). Persons
in that army have title of Gajabhiye in Maharashtra. Mahārathis were
based at Meratha (written as Meerut). Al-biruni has staed Sri Harsha
Shaka from 456 BC-that might be date of this pillar. Rājatarangiṇī
also give same time of that king who had installed Mātṛgupta as king
of Kashmir. Ibn-Batuta has written that Kutub-minar was built 1500
years before Kutub-ud-Din Aibak (1206-1210). Sir Saiyad Ahmed had
protested calling Kutub-minar an Islamic structure as it was full of
Hindu marks. He wrote a 300 page book in 1911 to prove his point.
It is not a question of Hindu or Islamic marks. 2 aspects of
technology were impossible in 13th century-(1) Even now it is very
difficult to build an accurate cone whose axis is inclined 50 south.
(2) From Mahabharata till 1850, earth had been assumed spherical in
all calculations. Semi-vertical angle of Kutub minar is equal to
difference between true and mean latitude of Delhi.
The description on engraved verse msu be of period of Prithviraj
Chauhan or earlier-it means that similar script for sanskrit was in
use at that time-Arun

On 20 सित, 20:59, sadasivamurty rani <ranisadasivamu...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>  Sanskrit
> 994Kदेखेंडाउनलोड करें

[rniyengar]

The following papers of Bala are must for understanding VishNudhwaja
and Kutubminar. All these are openly available on the web.

www.ias.ac.in/currsci/apr252004/1134.pdf

www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jun252007/1709.pdf

www.ias.ac.in/currsci/dec102004/1562.pdf

www.ias.ac.in/currsci/may252006/1436a.pdf

www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jan102008/120.pdf

www.ias.ac.in/currsci/sep102008/610.pdf

RNI

On Sep 20, 10:56 pm, "S. Kalyanaraman" <kalya...@gmail.com> wrote:
> धन्योस्मि
> धन्यवादः कल्याणरामन
> See the work of late Prof. Balasubramanian:
>

> *http://tinyurl.com/28zmjqv*

>
> kalyanaraman
>
> On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 11:59 AM, sadasivamurty rani <
>
>
>
> ranisadasivamu...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Respected Members!
> > Pranams to all of you.
> > Here is a snap of a Sanskrit Stone Inscription taken by me from one of the
> > walls in the premises of Qutub Minar. Entire Account in the inscription is
> > interesting and particularly the last line of the inscription gives some
> > curious information. The last line of the inscription is like this:
> > विष्णुपदे गिरौ भगवतो विष्नोर्ध्वज: स्थापित:। This gives rise to many
> > questions like:
> > 1. Was this Qutub Minar once called Vishnu Dhvaja? 2. Was the area of this
> > structure called Vishnupada Giri? 3. In whose rule this might have been
> > constructed? etc.,
> > If any one of you knows more about this please give the details.
> > With Warm regards,

> > *Dr. Rani Sadasiva Murty*

>
> >  --
> > अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
> > ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।
> > तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।

> > निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[sadasivamurty rani]

Humble Pranams to all the Members of BVP. My sincere thanks to all the scholars who have given a wonderful information about Vishnu Dhvaja (Qutub Minar). The information extended by Sri Tirumala Kulakarni ji, Sri Kalyan Ram Ji, Sri SP Narang ji, Sri Arun Ji and Sri Iyengar ji and others is really of a great value. Particularly the effots of Sri Arun ji are praise worthy. Similarly the descriptive account given by Sri Tirumala Kulakarni ji also is highly informative. Ofcourse I could not open some of the internet sources suggested by them. Once again thanks to all for their kind participation in guiding well. With Warm Regards, Dr. Rani Sadasiva Murty --- On Tue, 21/9/10, S P Narang <spna...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Veeranarayana Pandurangi]

thanks for very informative research on Vishnupada by Arunji.

2010/9/21 Arun <arunupa...@yahoo.in>

--
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)

--

Veeranarayana N.K. Pandurangi
Head, Dept of Darshanas,
Yoganandacharya Bhavan,
Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Samskrita University, Madau, post Bhankrota, Jaipur, 302026.

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।