The fifth seminar on Kadambini was organised on May 31, 2025.
This was part of the Shri Shankar Shikshayatan’s annual series of discussions on Pandit Madhusudan Ojha’s great work on meteorology, Kadambini.
The focus of the seminar was on the book’s Vaikarikadhyaya under which six subjects were discussed. Karikas from 107 to 145 from Kadambini were discussed. The invited scholars presented their lectures based on the topics covered in these karikas.
Prof. Madan Mohan Pathak, Central Sanskrit University, Lucknow, was the keynote speaker. Referring to the term, `khapur`, Prof. Pathak said the term meant a city appearing in the sky. Kha means sky and Pur means city. A city-like mark is formed in the clouds. The Gandharva city appearing in the sky with many colours and shapes like a city and with flags and festoons is called Khapur.
खपुरं शाखि परिघौ निर्घातः करका हिमम् ।
वैकारिका इमे भावा जीमूतादि-प्रभेदजाः ॥ कादम्बिनी पृ. १५०, का. १०७
अनेकवर्णाकृतिकं पताका-ध्वज-तोरणैः ।
युक्तं गन्धर्व-नगरं पुरवत् खे प्रकाशते ॥ वही, पृ. १५०, का. १०८
The term ‘abhrataru’ means a tree-like mark appearing in the clouds. Abhra means cloud and taru means tree.The one which has a branch is called Shakhi.
शाखी खशाखी खतरुरभ्रतर्वादयोऽपि च ।
दिवि द्रु-विटपाकारे मेघे शब्दा उदाहृताः ॥ वही पृ. १५१, का. १११
Dr. Subhash Chandra Mishra, Central Sanskrit University, Jaipur Campus, explained the term, karka`. It means hail. He spoke about several synonyms of the term mentioned in the book–dharankur, radharanku, varshopal, ghanopal, meghopal,meghasthi, matchi, punjika, bijodak, ghankaf and varchar. He pointed out that if there was excessive hail, there was little chance of rain.
धाराङ्कुरो राधरङ्कुवर्षोपलघनोपलाः।
मेघोपलश्च मेघास्थि मटची पुञ्जिकापि वा ॥
बीजोदकं घनकफो वार्चरः करकापि च ।
भूयसा करकापाते दुर्भिक्षं तत्र जायते ॥ वही, पृ. १५१, का.११७
Dr. Brajesh Pathak, Central Sanskrit University, Rajiv Gandhi Campus, in his presentation pointed out there were seven impediments against good monsoon caused by the rays of the sun . These are ravikaradhyaya, sandhya, kundal, danda, trishul, matsya and amogha.
सन्ध्या च कुण्डलं शक्रायुधं दण्डस्त्रिशूलकम् ।
मत्स्योऽमोघश्च सप्तैते विकारा रवि-रश्मिजाः॥ वही, पृ. १५४, का. १२६
सन्ध्या भवत्यहोरात्रसन्धिस्था नाडिकाद्वयी ।
नाडीत्रयी वा यावद्वा ज्योतिषां दर्शनं भवेत् ॥ वही, पृ. १५४, का. १२७
Dr. Naveen Tiwari, Central Sanskrit University, Ranvir Campus, spoke about sandhya as a comprehensive idea in the science of monsoon. If in the evening, a `mountain range` is visible in the sky in the northern direction, it is bound to rain in that area on the third day. When the `mountain range` is visible in the north-west, it rains day and night. When the `mountain range` is visible in the west, it is expected to rain for seven or three days.
उत्तरे यदि सन्ध्यायां दृश्यते गिरिमालिका ।
तृतीये दिवसे तर्हि तत्र वृष्टिर्भविष्यति॥ वही, पृ. १५५, का. १३७
वायव्ये तादृशैर्मेघैर्वात-वृष्टिरहर्निशम् ।
सप्ताहं वा त्र्यहं वृष्टिः पश्चिमे गिरिमालया ॥ वही, पृ. १५५, का. १२८
Prof. Santosh Kumar Shukla, Jawaharlal Nehru University, presiding over the seminar, pointed out that agni, vayu, surya and soma are key elements of monsoon. These four elements enable water to rise to the sky, form into clouds, hold water and then fall as rain. It is no different from the modern scientific concept. The scientists today estimate rainfall on the basis of wind.
अग्निं वायुं रविं सोमं मन्महे सम्भवत्यपाम् ।
उत्थानं प्रत्युपस्थानं घर्षणं वर्षणं यतः॥ वही, पृ. १, का. ७
Dr. Rajnish Kumar Pandey, Central Sanskrit University, Jaipur Campus recited the Vedic Manglacharan. The programme was conducted by Dr. Lakshmi Kant Vimal of Shri Shankar Shikshayatan. The seminar was attended by acharyas, research scholars, students and scholars interested in Sanskrit studies from universities and colleges from several states across the country.