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The vernal equinoctial point was • As. Rei. Vol. IX. p. 857. Digitized by Google 210 THE MODERN ASTRONOMY then about 14° 60' to the east of the beginning of the &xed Aswirii. Mr. Oolebrooke does not say what method he adopted, or the data he employed in his calculation; but it would appear from what he says, that he assumed the colure to have been in the middle of Aslesha in the time of Parasara. If Mr. Oolebrooke meant by this, the middle of the fixed Lunar Aste- rism Aslesha, which I suppose he did, it is incorrect; for parasara was contemporary with Yudhisht'hira and Garga, and the latter wrote his Sanhita in the ye^r 548 B.C. therefore the colure could not then be in the point assumed, nor at any later period than the year 1192 B.C. which was even 247 years before the time of R&ma. But if Mr. Oolebrooke meant the tropical or anastral Aslesha, the assump- tion would be correct; for the ancients had two spheres, the one fixed^ the other moveable ; that is, the sideral and tropical; the same in fact, as the moderns still employ, and for the like purposes, though diflferently divided. The modems have their fixed constellations and moveable signs : tiie latter are always reckoned from the vernal equinoctial point, or the intersection of the equator and ecliptic. The ancients had in like manner their fixed ^nd moveable Lunar Mansions, which were called by the same names,* and the latter always began from the winter sdstiee : hence one of the solstitial points was always in the beginning of the moveable Lunar Mansion iSravistha, and the other in the middle of the moveable Aslesha. So that Garga is light wh^i he says : ** Wh6n the sun returns, not having reached Dhanisht'ha (i. e. Sravishtkd), in the northern solstice, or not haviog reached the middle oi Aslesha in the southern, then let a man feel great apprehen- Digitized by Google OF TU£ HINDUS. 211 sicm <rf danger."* And Parasara says : " When having reached the end of Sravana in the northern path, or half of ii^ie^^ in the southern, he still ad- vanoes, it is a cause of great fear."* Thus in &ct eijpressing the saxne thing that Varaha Mihira had done, in respect of the solstitial points being always in the beginning of Cancer and C4)ricom, from which the expressions are of equal import in either f^ase: but instead oi collecting or conceiving the natural and true meaning of the Hindu writers, it was supposed that they were ignorant of the pre- pes^ion of the equinoxes, than which nothing could be more incorrect; for the precession was not only known to Yaraha Mihira, but also to Grarga and Pa- rasara, and was even known long before their times. If such unaccountable mistakes could have been made in respect of the tropical signs, or those begin- ning from the vernal equinox, which I proved above to be the fact, can we wonder at similar ones being made in respect of tlie moveable Lunar Mansions, which always begin from the winter solstice, and' have the same names as the fixed, but recede or fall back by reason of the precession ? Mr. Colebrooke also states, that Bhattotpala cites from the Pancha Siddhantica a rule of computation analogous to that which is given in the Bhasvati; and remarks, that three periods of Canopus' heliacal rising are observed, viz. the 8 th and 15th of Aswina, and 8th of Cartica.-l The rule here alluded to, as cited from the Pancha Siddhantica^ I have already given in the last section, which shows most clearly that it is a forgery ♦ A, Re V<H. v. p. 397. t As. Res. Vol. IX. p. 356. Digitized by Google 212 TH£ HODERN ASTRONOMY of the list century only, and to which period its rule refers. With respect to the three periods noticed, viz. the 8th and 16th of Aswina and 8th of Cartica, there is a mistake in the translation of the words, the original being Astaml and Panchadasi. These names of the days, as is well known to all the Hindus, invariably refer to the moon's age, and never to the day of the month: therefore the passage should have been translated, *' the 8th and 16th lunar day of Aswina, and 8th of the moon of Cartica.'' The former reading is totally irreconcilable to fects; but the latter is easily understood by every person that has a suffi- cient knowledge of the Hindu astronomy.* * The Hindos, as I hare already observed, employ two spheres, the sideral and tropical ; and to the signs in both they have corresponding months, which bear the game name : the moment the ana enters a sign, that instant the month also begins ; 80 that by knowing the name of the month, we also know the sign. The signs which here are designated by Aswma and Cartiea, are Virgo and libra in the tro- pical sphere, becaose the heliacal risings of Canopos are reckoned according to that sphere. The moon is named after two different, and I may say directly opposite methods : in one it is named from the montii or sign in which tiie new moon begins ; in the other horn, the month ot sign in which it terminates : the last ia the method here meant. Thns, if there is a new moon in Asidum or Virgo, and the end falld ia Libra (^Cariica), it is called the moon of Cartka ; and in like manner, when the noon ends in Virgo, it is calM the noon of Virgo, or Aswima^ Now to apply aH this to the solation of the problem, it will be seen that the 8th day of the moon of Virgo can never fall later than abont the 8th or 9th degree of Virgo, wliich is there- fore one limit. On tiie other hand, it may be seen that the 8th day of the moon of libra can never bej;in earlier than the beginning of Virgo, because its end mast ter- minate in Libra : therefore the 8th day of the moon, in this case, falls also on the same point, viz. on the 8th or 9th degree of Virgo, which determines that Canopns rose heliacally in some part of India when the son was between the 8th or 9tii degree of Virgo. To ascertain the place this coold happen at, take a celestial globe, bring Canopns to the eastern horizon, then elevate the globe nntil it is found that the 8th or 9tb degree of Virgo is 10 degrees below the horizon, while at the same time Canopns is jnst on it, then the degrees of elevation of the pole will show the latitude, which will be found to be that of Delhi, and that the time to which it refers is the last century ; which is a farther confirmation that Bhattotpala is a modem, and the Pmieha Siddhtmtiai a forgery. The 15th day of the moon of Aswina (Virgo) woidd of course fall, in some years, on the 8th or 9th day of the month of Aswina; Digitized by Google OF THE HINDUS. 213 Thus I have shown that Mr. Colebrooke had the same means and facts before him that I had, for in- vestigating the truth or falsehood of those passages aiMl assertions that are intended to throw back mto antiquity the time of Varaha Mihira and others : on this, however, I shall offer no comment, but leave it tp others. All that I can say is, that I have strictly done my duty, notwithstandmg all the difficulties I have had to encounter, and the opposition thrown in my way. My sole object has been the investigation of truth ; and little I expected at setting out, that I should find nothing but inveterate enmity as the reward of my laboms — but so it is. It is by the investigation of truth, and the exposure of Brahmi- nical impositions, which can only be done through the means of astronomy, that the labours of those who are laudably endeavouring to introduce true religion and morality among the Hindus can have their true and beneficial effect. So long as the impositions and falsehoods contained in the Hindu books, which the common people are made to be- lieve are the productions of their ancient sages, are suffered to remain unexposed, little progress can be expected to be made : but let the veil be undrawn, uncover the impositions by true and rational inves- tigation, and iJie cloud of error will of itself disap- pear ; and then they will be not only more ready, but willing to adopt and receive the word of truth. The time, however, is now come that I must relin- quish these pursuits. Ill health for some years past, with an enfeebled constitution, firom a long residence 90 that ihe three periods, so oaUed, are not verj distant ones. The method of ediing the moon bj the name of tiie month in which it ends is rery ancient, tlioogh at present little nsed. In Bengal, and many other parts of India, the moon is named from the month in which it begins.