That is quite a formidable figure on the cover this time, huh? It depicts Shani, one of the nine planets that rule the zodiac divisions in Vedic astronomy. What you see below that is a recent photo taken from NASA's Cassini spacecraft -of the mighty planet Saturn.
Here are a couple of interesting facts. In 2nd or 3rd millennium BC (Yes, Rig Veda is that old!), our ancestors named the planet Shani, after the term, Shanaye Kramati Sa, meaning, the one who moves slowly. As modern science found out later, Saturn takes about 30 years to revolve around the Sun.
Take a closer look at the figure, with its complicated, intricately threaded patterns. Planet Saturn, too, stands apart in the Solar System for its spectacular rings, and the second greatest collection of moons.
Science says-the density of Saturn is so low that it would easily float in a gigantic bathtub. The figure of Shanidevta was devised hollow in the Vedic age, as it is known to devour whatever comes its way!
Thousands of years ago, human beings unerringly identified these planetary features-without even a telescope! So was it mathematics, magic, or pure instinct? Let's find out.... Click here for the cover story