Deshbhushanji Aacharya Abhinandan Granth

SR No.: 012045
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: R C Gupta
Publisher: Deshbhushanji Maharaj Trust
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 1766
Language: Hindi, English
Classification: Smruti_Granth & Articles
File Size: 56 MB

Page 884

Other explicit references are
1. Jivabhigama Sutra1 (=JS) .3.68.11
2. Jambudvipa Prajñapti" (=JP).10.6
Evidently the Moon is stated to be 80 Yojanas higher than the Sun. Dixit advocates in his Bharatiya Jyotiṣa Śāstra that no stars are visible during day time when the Sun shines, but on the other hand, the Moon moves among the stars at night. Hence it was but natural for the people to believe that because the stars are higher than the Sun and the Moon moves in their region, so the Moon is also higher than the Sun. Nemichandra Sastri also agrees with this hypothesis. The Siddhantic astronomers were not attracted to solve the mystery of this peculiar notion. As a matter of fact, we have to delve deep into the secrets of Jaina astronomical system so as to comprehend the concept of height in its true perspective.
It was conventional to measure celestial north south angular distances in terms of corresponding distances over the surface of the earth. Here the distances of astral bodies have been measured from plane portion of the earth (Samatala Bhumi, a technical term in Jaina astronomy). Height of the Sun is always 800 Yojanas above Samatala Bhumi. This suggests that Samatala Bhumi denotes an area bounded by the locus of a point that remains always at a distance of 800 Yojanas from the Sun's apparent path, the ecliptic, and the plane of Samatala Bhumi is parallel to the plane of ecliptic. Therefore the centre of Samatala Bhumi lies at the projection of pole of ecliptic, over the surface of the earth.
It may be noted that the lunar orbit is inclined to the plane of ecliptic. When the Moon lies at its ascending or descending node, its height above Samatala Bhumi is the same as that of the Sun; however, the Moon on its journey from descending node to ascending node remains higher than the Sun with respect to Samatala Bhumi Thus it appears that the concept of height of the Moon over that of the Sun above Samatala Bhumi implies a notion of maximum celestial latitude of the Moon. Therefore, it is evident that the concept of the word 'height' has to be properly understood in the given context. Such a view has also been expressed in Madanpal's commentary on Sürya Siddhanta. Such an idea of north or south position of the Moon relative to that of the Sun is also found in Goladipikas (2.31-32).
१८
The JS is the third upanga of Jaina canonical literature. For more details, see ref. No. 13. The JP is the sixth upanga of Jaina canonical literature. For more details, see ref. No. 13. Dixit, S. B. Bharatiya Jyotisa Sastra. Vol. I Part-I Eng. Tr. by R.V. Vaidya, (1969), p. 6. 4. Shastri, N. C (1973). Bharatiya Jyotiṣa (in (Hindi) pp 45-46.
5.
1.
2.
3.
6.
Lishk, S. S. and Sharma. S. D. (1974).
Post-Vedänga Pre-Siddhantic Indian Astronomy. Paper presented at Summer School on History of Science (INSA New Delhi). To appear in K. C. Shastri Memorial Volume (Jabalpur).
For more details, see our paper
Latitude of Moon as Determined in Jaina Astronomy.
Shramana, Vol. 27, No 2, pp. 28-35.
7. Private correspondence with
Dr. K S. Shukla, Professor and Head,
Department of Mathematics and Astronomy, Lucknow University, Lucknow.
8. The Goladipikā by Parameśvara.
Edited with introduction, translation and notes by K. V. Sharma,
Adyar Library Pamphlet Series No. 32.
9. Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to Prof. L. C Jain and Dr. K. S. Shukla for helpful discussions and valuable suggestions. Thanks are also due to Rev. Munishree Abhay Sagar Ji for his active interest in preparation of this work and Vardhamana Kendra, Ahmedabad, for financial support.
आचार्य रत्न श्री देशभूषण जी महाराज अभिनन्दन ग्रन्थ