Days

courtesy; sri.PK.Ramakrishnan

 Bharat Ratna P.V.Kane in his extensive book "History of Dharmasastras" there
is no mention of week days in the Ramayana or Mahabharata. There is enough
evidence to state that this concept of week days has come to India from the
Greeks. I have the following explanation in support of this view.
 
The Hindus had divided one day into 60 nadikas from sunrise to sunrise. They
did have the 24 hour concept of a day.   In Greek an hour is called hora. Even
in Amarakosha there is nomention of hora.   
 
Probably this word has come into Hindu terminology before Aryabhata. Here is
what he says about the week days and their lordship.
 
भानामधश्शनिगुरुभौमार्कशुक्रबुधचन्द्रा: /
तेषामधश्च भूमि: मेधीभूता खमध्यस्था //
सप्तैते होरेशा: भवन्ति सुर्योदयात् चतुर्था: /
 
Under the stars are Sani, Guru, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon
and then the earth as a central point.   There are as they appear
to us with increasing speed to cover the 360 degrees.
 
They are the lords of horas from sunrise.  Since there are 24 horas
and nine planets, the fourth planet becomes the lord of the first hora
on the second day.   The days are named after the lord of the first
hora of the day.  So we get the names of the week days as Saturday,
Sunday, Monday, Tuesady, Wednesady, Thursday, and Friday.
 
Probably in ancient days the week started with Saturday.  But after Christianity
became popular, the first day was changed to Sunday.

knr