Umravkunvarji Diksha Swarna Jayanti Smruti Granth

SR No.: 012035
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Suprabhakumari
Publisher: Hajarimalmuni Smruti Granth Prakashan Samiti Byavar
Publication Year: 1988
Total Pages: 1288
Language: Hindi, English
Classification: Smruti_Granth & Articles
File Size: 30 MB

Page 922

On Geometry of Jambudvipa
Dr. S. S. Lishk
Jainas thought that the earth was made up of a series of concentric rings of land masse surrounded by concentric ocean rings. The central island of the earth was Jambūdvipa. 1 The mount Meru is placed at the centre of Jambūdvipa. According to Tiloya Pannattia (gātbā 4, 1780 et. seq.), Meru is made up of frustrum of cones. A mathematical analysis 8 of the dimensions of the mount Meru shows that the concept of Meru implies the notion of obliquity of ecliptic. Earth's true axis passes along the hypotenuse of an approximate cone of Meru and not along the axis of Meru. So true radius of Jambūdvipa is equal to apparent radius of Jambūdvipa less radius of Meru's base on earth, i. e., 50000_-5000=45000 yojanas. With this concept the circumference of Jambudvipa coincides with the parallel of maximum declination of the Sun, i. e., 230.5 North.
Now as regards the concept of samatala bhumi, Surya Prajñapti. 18, the seventh upānga (sub-limb) of Jaina canonical literature, states-that
“From the samatala bhumi, the Sun moves at a height of 800 Yojanas."
A mathematical analysis of these data shows that samatala bbūmi represents the plane parallel to the plane of ecliptic and bounded by the Parallel of celestial latitude of 730.7. The centre of samatala bhumi is coincident with the projection (on earth) of pole of ecliptic. Radius of samatala bhūmi is equal to 900 minus 730.7, i. e., 160.3. Obviously with this concept of samatala bhūmi, the Jaina notion that the Moon is 89 Yojanas higher than the Sun, becomes easily discernible. A notion of celestial latitude of the Moon is implied therein.5 Besides it may be noted that the radius of Meru is equal to height of the Moon over that of the Sun above samatala bhūmi because. Height of the Moon above that of the Sun=80 Yojanas
= 5000 yojanas (... 1 yojana=500 Yojanas)
=Radius of Meru's
base on flat earth Besides it may be remarked that the only characteristic for samatala bhqmi as referred to in the text is that the Sun remains above it always at a height (celestial co-latitudinal distance as implied in Jaina texts) of 800
EIJH1 dai संसार समुद्र में धर्म ही दीप
www.jamenbray.org