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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
( 608)
of which there were the three pronounced characters, viz. (i) the beginning with the New-Moon at the beginning of the Delphinis or the Dhanisthā cluster, (ii) the Full-Moon conjoined with Regulus or Maghā, and (iii) the last quarter conjoined with Antares or Jyesthā, was discovered. This month or Dhanisthādīkāla was agreed upon when Rohinī or Aldebaran was the first of asterisms, the time of which was about 3000 B.C. It was in reference to this month that the Vedic astronomical calendar starting from the day following the winter-solstice used to be reckoned. The year-long sacrifices were often begun 60 or 61 days later, i.e. from the beginning of the Indian spring. The Vedic calendar for any sacrificial year consisted of 12 lunations which began from the new-moon day, or the day of the last quarter or the full-moon day according to the phase of the moon on the winter-solstice day. The Vedic Hindus could accurately find the solstice day of either description by observation.
The Vedāngajyotişa says that the year was of 366 days. In a quinquennium or five years, there are 62 lunations or 2 intercalary months, one lunation being added to 30 lunations formed the length of 21 years. We have evidence that the five-yearly luni-solar cycle was newly started from a fresh determination of the winter-solstice day. The Vedic Hindu thus found that there were 1
क्षयं संवत्सरानां च मासानां च तथा क्षयं पक्षक्षयं तथा दृष्ट्वा the loss of years, months and half lunations. The long period Yajñas lasted sometimes 3 years and 12 years. A period of 3 years is a fairly correct luni-solar cycle and here there was a loss of 2 years; the period of 8 years is also a fairly correct luni-solar cycle, here also there was a loss of 2 years of two luni-solar cycles.
Again they had to reckon the length of 12 years. We are now to explain how this was achieved.
1 MBh., śānti, 301, 46-47.
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