As a part of the opening week events, the research group Astral Science in Trans-Regional Asia warmly invites to a public talk by Prof. Dr. Kenneth G. Zysk on

"Garga’s Knowledge of the Crow (vāyasavidyā) and the Dawn of South Asian Ornithology"

on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM (CEST) in the Main Conference Room (MPIWG, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin).

Abstract: 

This talk explores a collection of crow omens from South Asia, aiming to elucidate the epistemological underpinnings of their understanding. The content reveals a fascinating blend of empirically based knowledge and religious ritual, both rooted in empirical observation. When this rational approach is applied to bird omens, particularly those associated with corvids, the collection can be interpreted as representing an early form of "ornithology" within the South Asian context.

 

In this talk, we will delve into the Gārgīyajyotisa texts, the earliest extant collection of Brahmanic Astral Science, compiled by a certain Garga likely in the Northwest of the Indian subcontinent around the beginning of the Common Era. Through these texts, we will illustrate the mode of thought that underpins the knowledge of the crow, or vāyasavidyā, as presented by Garga.

 

About the speaker:

Professor Emeritus Kenneth G. Zysk (University of Copenhagen) is a renowned scholar of traditional Indian medicine and science. He began his academic journey in the field of traditional Indian medicine (Āyurveda), subsequently expanding his research into the realms of sexology (Kāmaśāstra) and the astral sciences (Jyotihśāstra). Professor Zysk’s scholarly interests extend beyond the sciences to encompass the broader cultural contexts in which these disciplines emerged and the intercultural exchanges that contributed to their development. In recent years, he has focused on exploring the connections between ancient Mesopotamian, Greek, and Indian traditions of physiognomy and omenology.

 

This event takes place at the MPIWG and online. As places may be limited, we kindly ask that you email astra@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de (by October 7, 2024) to register your attendance in person or to receive the Zoom link. 

Poster download