English
The genuineness of ihe Jatakdmaoa is proved by its agreement in date with the Varahi Sanhita, to both of which the author's name is affixed. Quotations can never be considered as proof, for they may be, and often are made by impostors to give strength to their forgeries ; and what is more, spurious works very seldom quote any other but those of the same character, lest a discovery of the real truth should be made> by that means. For instance, the spurious Arya Siddhania is repeatedly quoted by Bhattotpala, (one of. the greatest impostors that ever lived), ieind also by the spurious Brahma Siddhania, but not a word about the genuine Arya Siddhanta, which, however, is found quoted in other books. And when quotations are made by impostors from genuine books, it is generally with a view of introducing to notice some passage that has been interpolated for the purpose of imposition. Thus the Pancha Siddhaniika in qaoied by Bhattotpala, to bring forward the pre- tended positions of the colures in the time of Varaba Mihira, with the intention of throwing that author back into antiquity ; which, however, is overthrown by the other passage he cites from the same book relative to the oosmioal rising of Canoput, Digitized by Google OF THE HINDUS. 169 might, therefore, be considered superfluous to enter into all these particulars, since every circumstance showiiig it to be the prodoetion of the last oentury ; and coDfeqaenUj all the inteipolationa into the Varahi Samkita relating to it, to PuUsa, and the spuions Arya Siddhanta, are of the same period. Bat it it npon these quotations, interpolations, and assertions without proof, that Mr. Colebrooke relies, and not on astronomical facts, which he seems to disregard. He tells us, that Varaha Hibira was the son of Adityadasa, being so described in the Vrihai Jdtaka, of which he was the author, and that he lived in the fifth or sixth century of the Christian era. Notes and Illustrations, pp. xW. li. — ^That Adityadasa might possibly be the father of Yaiaha Mihira, for any thing we can know to the contrary ; but that he flourished at the close of the fifth, or beginning of the sixth century of the Christian era, is what cannot be admitted, because we hare already shown him, from astronomical facts, to hare been contemporary with the emperor Akber. Whether he was the authiur of the Vrikat Jaiaka or not, cannot posiibly be known, except from circumstances ; for Mr. Colebrooke himself has admitted the practio of India and other countries, of naming books on celebrated authors that never saw them. And the assertion of Bhattotpala, the impostor, making him the author of it, is here of no weight Mr. Colebrooke also states, that ** Vnraha Mihira is cited by name in the Pancha Tantra, the original of the Fables of Pilpay, which were trans- lated into Persian for Nushervan, more than 1200 years ago." As. Res. Vol. IX. p. 364. — All this proves nothing. For it does not follow that the Pancka TatUra of Vbhnu Sarmana is the original of the Fables of Pilpay : on the contrary, il Is inore likely that the latter should be the original of the former, and perhaps of many others, under different names, in the same manner as we hare u number of Bdmdjfotuu, and other books on subjects of the same kind. We have no proof whaterer that the Ptmeka Ttmtra of Vishnu Sarmana is even a hundred years old : for, to prove that it was the identical one that was translated into Persian more than 1200 years ago, it oug^t be shown, that the name of Varaha Mihira, was actually in that rery transla- tion, and still continues, without which it could be no proof; for we know that all Hindu books are liable to interpolations, and oonsequently the Pmteka Trania as much so as any other. But, supposing the fact was tme, that the name of Varaha Mihira was actually in the original translation into Persian iq>wards of 1200 years ago, what would that prove, after idl 1 It could only go to prove that there have been more persons of the name of Varaha Mihira than one ; but it would nerer affect the time of the author of the Varahi Sanhita, who was the contemporary inth Akber. Mr. Colebrooke himself, seems to say, there have been more than one Varaha Mihira, (Notes and Illustrations, p. li.) but I have, not seen as yet any sufficient proof to that effect, and therefore I am disposed to beliere there was but one, and to consider all the rest as arising from the effect of imposition. I have seen an old copy ef the Vrihat Jdtaka above alluded to by Mr. Colebrooke,^aBd it does not contain a syllable of what he states, as to Varaha Mihira living in tho fifth or sixth century of the Christian era, &c. I think Mr. Colebrooke, like my old friend, the late Colonel Wilford, and pertiaps many others, was imposed on by his crafty dependants, who studied his inclinations and his wishes, and, from knowing the bias of his sentiments, were thereby enabled to practise, with security and advantage to themselves, their imposture of forged and interpolated books, which they produced for him, or put in his way to obtain, as might appear best to answer their purpose. Z Digitized by Google 170 THE MODERN ASTRONOMY ibBt does: not accord with these decisive facts, must be taken and considered as an absolute forgery or imposition ; but it may be useful to point the artful manner by which they were conducted, which never could have been fully detected, had it not been for the circumstance of the heliacal rising of Canopus, given by Varaha Mihira himself, of the effect of which, perhaps, they were not fully aware, other- wise they would in all probability have expunged it : but so it always happens, that impostors, how- ever careful they may be, in giving a plausible appearance to their writings, yet, overlook some circumstance, which entirely overthrows the whole fabric ; as may be seen by the instance above given. But it is not the above instance alone that we are to notice; there are many others, some of which I shall now bring forward to support the same facts. THE BHASVATI. This work I have noticed above, as being pre- tended to '^have been written by a person of the name of Satananda in the year A. D. 1099, who is also said to have been a pupil of Varaha Mihira: therefore, by this contrivance, Varaha Mihira would be placed anterior to that period. But the author of this work, whatever his real name may have been, has left us his rule for computing the cosmical rising of Campus in his own time, from which we are enabled to judge whether the date assigned be true or false. His rule is thus given: Multiply the length of the equinoctial shadow by 25, to the pro- duct add 900, (the sum will be degrees, of which 225 are equal to one sign) ; when the sun is in the longitude expressed by this quantity, then the star Digitized by Google OF THE HINDUS. 171 Canoptis rises cosmically, or at the same time with the sun. Example : — The length of the equinoctial shadow at Ujfein, cast by a gnomon of 12, is taken at 6 Multiply this by 26, the product is . . 126 Add 900, the sum will be 1026 Which divided by 225 for each sign, we get 4' le"" 40* for the sun's longitude at the time of the cosmical rising of Canopus at IJjein, which, by adding 10"" 20', would give the heliacal rising the same as in the Brahma Vaivarta Puranay Sgc. THE PANCHA SIDPHANTIKA This is quoted by the commentator Bhattotpala, as one of the works of Varaha Mihira, and from which he cites a similar rule to the preceding for the cosmical rising of Canoptis^ which is thus given: Multiply half the equinoctial shadow by the square of 5, add to the product 73, the sum will be degrees and minutes ; and when the sun's longitude is equal to the sum, then Canopus rises cosmically, or at the same time with the sun. Example : — Length of the equinoctial shadow at Ujdn is 5, and its half = .... 2i Multiply by the square of 5=25, the product is 62° 30' Add 73, and the sum is 135° 30'=4- 15° 30', the sun's longitude when Canopus rose cosmically at Ujdn. KESAVA. Kesava's rule is precisely the same as the Pancha Siddhantika, and therefore gives the same longitude Digitized by Google 172 THE MODERN ASTRONOMY to the sun, 4' 16° 30', at the time of the cosmical rising of Canopus.