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No. 15.)
THE BRAHMA-SIDDHANTA: MEAN SYSTEM.
201
The moment of mean Mēsha-sankranti, or the beginning of the mean solar year. 324. The general Table which follows (Tabie XC, cols. 13-17) states the moment of beginning of each mean solar year according to the Brahma-Siddhanta. The first entry is for the expired year 3700 of the Kaliyuga (A.D. 599-600), in which year the astronomical beginning is fixed as at 5h 15m after mean sunrise on Saturday, 21 March, A.D. 599. It is incumbent on me to prove the correctness of this fixture. Subsequent entries are based on it by the addition to it year by year of 3654 6h 12m 9. Proof may be offered in three ways :-(A) by compari. son with the date and time already found for the beginning of the true solar year K.Y. 3700, utilizing Dr. Schram's determination of the interval between the two occurrences; (B) by comparison with the date and time fixed for the beginning of the same mean solar year according to the First Arya-Siddhanta, allowing for the time difference between the two anthorities caused by their different estimate as to the length of the mean solar year, viz. 21'; (C) by direct com. putation from the moment in K. Y. O of mean Mosha-samkrānti, 3,700 years earlier, which, according to the Brahma-Siddhanta (§ 313, v, above), was exactly at mean sunrise, or Oh Om D* Lankā time, on Friday, 18 Febr. (B.C. 3102).
A
h. m. 8. Moment of true Mēsha-samkrānti in K.
Y.3700 (A.D. 599) (Table LXXXII, (5) Thur., 19 Mar. 16 01872
Vol. XVII, above). fodhya as above ($ 323, Table). . + (2) 2 4 8 59-8128 Moment of mean Měsha-samkrānti (0) Sat., 21 Mar. 5 15 0
в [See Indian Calendar, Table I, cols. 13-17, for A.D. 599-600.]
h. m. 8. True Měsha-sankranti by Arya
Siddhanta . . . . . (5) Thur., 19 Mar. 23 17 30 Arya-Siddhanta fodhya . . . +(2) 2 3 32 30 Mean Mēsha-samkrānti by Arya
Siddhanta . . . . . (1) Sun., 22 Mar. 2500 Less Time-difference in 3,700 years .
-21 35 0 Mean Mesha-samkrānti. by Brahma
Siddhanta . . . . . (0) Sat., 21 Mar. 5 15 0
The epoch of the Kaliyuga was Oh Om 0* Lanks time, or exactly at mean sunrise on Friday. The length of the mean solar year being 365d 6h 12m 9', the beginning of the next mean solar year took place 6h 12m 9after mean sunrise ; and after the expiration of a century from the epoch the mean solar year began at 20h 15m 0 after mean sunrise ; so that after 37 centuries had passed the mean solar year K.Y. 3700 began at 5b 15m 0 after mean sunrise.
When this latter calculation is carried out century by century, the figures shew that centuries 6, 12, 19, 25 and 32, five in all, were defective centuries consisting each of 36,525 days, the remainder being common centuries of 36,526 days. Since 36,526 divided by 7 leaves no
See Tatle, $ 273, in Article on the Siddhanta-Siromani (Vol. XV above), which is equally applicable to the Brahma-Siddhanta ; or refer to Indian Chronography, p. 61. The time-ditforence in 8,000 years is 17" 80-, in 700 years 4h 5°, total 216 85.