English
I have been more particular in my explanation of the contrivance of the author of the system of Varaha for calculating the precession of the equinoxes, than perhaps was necessary ; but my reason for it was to do away an erroneous notion that appeared to be entertained by some who called the motion a libra- tion*, or oscillation of the equinoxes, instead of a complete revolution, which the author himself ex- pressly mentions ; for he says : " The Ayanansa moves eastward thirty times twenty =(600) in each Maha Yuga:'' therefore each revolution =^=7200 • As. Res. Vol. Tcii. p. 212, 217, 218. Digitized by Google 136 THE MODERN ASTRONOMY years, which, therefore, must be conceived to be in an epicycle, as described above. The Sacalya San- hita states, "that the Bhaganas, (revolutions,) of the Crantipata, (point of intersection of the ecliptic and equator,) in a Maha Yuga, (4320000 years,) are 600 eastward," in which I see not the slightest shadow for conceiving the idea of an oscillation, or libration, at least not according to my conception of the terms. The commentator on the Suri/a Siddhanta is still more explicit. He says : " The Bhaganas^ (revolu- tions,) of the Ayanama^ (equinoctial points,) in a Maha Yuga, (4320000 years,) are 600 ; one Bhagana, (or revolution) of the Ayanansa, therefore, contains 7200 years. He then describes how the revolution is divided, thus : " Of a Bhagana, (revolution,) there are four padas, quadrants, or parts. First Pada, when there was no Ayanansa,'' (as when the vernal equinoctial point was at C in the epicycle, in A. D. 499;) "but the Ayanansa, (precession,) beginning from that time, and increasing (from C to D,) it was added. It continued increasing 1800 years, when it became at its utmost, or 27°, (as at D in the epicyle.) Second Pada, (or quadrant) after this it diminished; but the amount was still added, (be- cause to the west of Aswim,) until the end of 1800 years more, it was diminished to nothing, (as at A in the epicycle.) Third Pada, the Ayanansa for the next 1800 years was deducted; (that is from A to B, because to the east oiAswim;) and the amount deducted at the end of that term was twenty-seven degrees. Fourth Pada^ (from B. to C) the amount of deduction diminished; and at the end of the next term of 1800 years, there was nothing either added or subtracted," because it had then returned to C, where the precession was Digitized by Google OF THE HINDUS. 137 nothing, being in a line with the beginning of Aswini. The commentator, however, has made a mistake; for the first Pada, or quadrant of the revolution did not begin at C, but at A, for this reason, that the rule was intended to give the precession from B to C, and from C to D, the other two quadrants being fictitious, and added merely to introduce into the calculation a circular motion: and as the quadrant B C was prior in point of time, to C D, it must fol- low, that CD could not be the first quadrant, con- sistently either with calculation or the nature of the scheme. But in the system of Aryabhatta, which the commentator seems to have followed, the first quadrant begins at C, which may have occasioned the mistake. In all this contrivance, I see nothing that could support in the slightest degree the opinion that has been formed by some, that the author of the Suri/a Siddhanta believed in a libration of the equinoxes. We may suppose any thing, if we do hot chuse to give ourselves the trouble of investigating, and fairly entering into the author s ideas and intentions, which we should always hold in view. An erroneous opinion must be always the consequence, when the inatter before us is not properly understood ; of which we have repeated and inost decisive proofs, in various instances: Digitized by Google 138 THE iMODERN ASTRONOMY SECTION III. The Irya Siidhanta—by Ary^bkaUa—IUdate, A. D. 1322— Tfce okject ofU — The system it contains — Its formation — Pncessutn ^ the equinoxes — Mode of computing it — The Rishis — The object of introducing them, and the • manner of computing their place — The Parosara Siddhanta, and the o^ect of the author in exhibiting it — The system of the Pdrnsara SiddJianta — The com^ putation of the Rishis by this system — Age qfthe irya Siddhanta, confirmed hy computations from Astronomical Data — Age qf the system of Pdrasara deteimined — Found to be of the same age with thai of Aryabhatta — Lati- tudes and Longitudes qf the Stars — Geometry of Aryabhatta sams as Bhdskara*s — His rules for shewing the proportion qf the diameter qf a circle to its circun^erence, ifc. The next astronomic^ work in point of antiquity, that I have met with, is the Arj/a Siddhanta, written by Aryabhatta, in the year 4423 of the Kali Yuga, or A.D. 1322. It is divided into eighteen chapters or sections, in the first of which he gives both the date and the system. His principal objects appear to have been, first, to give a system that would give the position of the planets, agreeing with their real places in the heavens, in his own time, much nearer the truth than could be then obtained from either the Brahma Siddhanta, the Surt/a Siddhanta, or any other work then extant. Secondly, to support the modem impositions respecting the introduction of immense periods of years into their history ; and, lastly, to endeavour, by a curious contrivance, to pervert the meaning of the passage I have mentioned and ex- plained in a former part of this essay, respecting the Rishis being in Magha in the time of Yudhist'hira, Digitized by Google OF THE HINDUS. 139 Parasara, &c. Before, however, we can enter on thift discussion, it will be proper to give Aryabhatta's system entire in the following Table : ARYABHATTA^S SYSTEM, FROM THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE ARYA SIOOHANTA. JtraolnHoM of the Pkuutt, Aftidts, and Node* im 4SS0006000 remrM. Names. ReTolBtioos. Apsides. Nodes. Sun, 4820600000 Reirol. 461 488108674 339 658 999 83C 36 ReTol. 232313354 584 947 298 96 620 Mfxni, 57753334000 Hf eroarT. ........ 17037054671 Venni, 70^371432 Urn, S296S31000 jDDitcr. •••••••. .• 36421 968S Sttnrn, 146569000 ReTolntiMis of the Bi$hh in a Xofpa, 1599998 ReYolations of the equinoxes in the epicycle in ditto, 578159 Solar months in ditto, 51840000000 LonatioBi inditto, 53433384000 Intercalary months in ditto, 1593334000 Tithis, or lonar days in ditto, 1603000020000 Intercdary tithb , in ditto, 25082478000 Sideral days in ditto, 1582237642000 Nataraldays in ditto, 1577917542000 The system of Aryabhatta begins on Sunday, as the first day of the week, on the meridian of Ujeiny at sunrise : and the number of years elapsed of the system, is known by deducting 3024000, from the years elapsed of the system of Brahma. Thus, by the system of Brahma, the years elapsed at the beginning of the irK Vnga were, 1972944000 Dedttct. .^ 3024000 Remain years elapsed, by the system of Aryabhatta, 1969920000 The length of the year =^5188Jjffi> =365^* 15 81' 17" 6'" The system of Aryabhatta, was constructed pre- cisely on the same principle as that of Brahma : Digitized by Google 140 THE MODERN ASTRONOMY therefore no further explanation is necessary here, except, that the diflferences between the numbers arise from the systems being framed for two distinct periods of time ; that of Brahma, for the year A. D. 638, and that of Aryabhatta, for the year A. D. 1322 ; for it may be easily conceived, that the numbers that will answer at one particular period of time, will not answer at another. The computation of the precession of the equinoxes, by the system of Aryabhatta^ is on a similar plan with that given in the Surya Siddhanta, already ex- plained ; but by no means so convenient in practice. Aryabhatta gives 678159 revolutions of the equi- noxes, in the epicycle, in 4320000000 years ; Mrhich makes one revolution equal to 7471.993 years, or say, for common practice, 7472 years, whereas the Surya Siddhanta mikes it 7200 years. The number of revolutions of the equinoxes in the epicycle, to the beginning of the Kali Yuga, by the system of Aryabhatta=^^^^S^=26364 revolutions, and .504, or a little more than half a revolution over and above. This .504, being the only part we want, might be got much easier by multiplying the three last figures of 578159 by 456, reserving only the tljree right hand figures, in the product, thus, 159x456 =.504. Now, as one revolution, is to 7472 years, so the fraction .504 to a765.