பெத்லகேம் குறவஞ்சியில் வானியல் சிந்தனை: உரைப்பகுப்பாய்வு மற்றும் அறிவியல் அணுகுமுறை: Astronomical Thought in Bethlehem Kuravanji: A Textual analysis and scientific approach

Abstract

In the section titled "Panthadikkum Tharu"  in the Bethlehem Kuravanji, a literary work authored by Vedanayaga Sastriar, it is recounted that Devamohini, a daughter of Zion, marvels at the orderly motion of the Sun, the Moon, and the planets created by God, and proceeds to play with them as if they were balls. The objective of this article is to assess the accuracy of the astronomical details cited by Vedanayaga Sastriar such as planetary rotation, orbital periods around the Sun, distances between the Sun and the planets, and planetary diameters by comparing them against data provided by modern astronomers; furthermore, it aims to elucidate the methodology employed in expressing scientific concepts through the medium of poetry, thereby establishing the manner in which scientific thought is embedded within Tamil literature. This inter disciplinary study employs a textual analysis, comparative and interpretative approach. Far from being merely a work of imaginative poetry, the text encapsulates profound astronomical knowledge. Through this research, it is evident that literature has been effectively utilized as a medium to spread scientific concepts to the general public.

Keywords

• Astronomical Conceptualization
• Planetary Kinematics
• Bethlehem Kuravanji
• Metaphorical literature
• Christian Literature