Jain Journal 1987 01

SR No.: 520085
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 40
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

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and forty eight eclipse years cycle of solar eclipses. These cycles of eclipses were based upon observation of periodic repetition of eclipses in five different colours irrespective of any accurate knowledge of true motion of Rahu (lunar ascending node). Jaina eclipse-cycles are completely free from any foreign influences of Chaldean Saros or Metonic cycle.17
JAIN JOURNAL
7. Lunar Occultations and Conjunctions with Nakşatras
The concept of direction of lunar conjunction with a nakşatra implies the notion of position of identifying star or the nakşatra with respect to the region where the moon moves among the stars. Thus, any nakşatra situated inside the belt of lunar zodiac occults the moon from both the northern and the southern directions depending upon the position of lunar nodes. It appears that Jainas had some trends towards the notion of celestial latitude of the moon.18 Besides chatratichatra yoga (lunar occultation with Citra or a Virginis) has been explicitly defined in Jaina canonical texts. It is surmised that, that might have been the time when reckoning of the first point of zodiacal circumference was shifted from Winter solstice to Vernal equinox and consequently Abhijit (a Lyrae) was replaced by Asvini (8 Arietis), Citra having celestial longitude 180° with respect to it, to head the list of nakşatras.19
8. Measurement of Celestial Angular Distances
Jainas had developed the concept of height of astral bodies above samatala bhumi (earth having plane surface denoting circular area with centre at the pole of ecliptic) and thus had measured their celestial latitudes in yojanas (basically, linear measures of length) in terms of corresponding distances projected over the surface of the earth. Babylonian ephemerides 20 of "System-A" measure the latitude of the moon in units called 'Barley Corn' (Se) related by 72 Se=1°. But Jaina concept of samatala bhūmi as related to the measurement of latitude of the moon
17 Lishk, S. S. and Sharma, S. D. (1976), "Cycles of Eclipses in Jaina Astronomy", Sumerchand Memorial Volume, pp. 46-48, Jabalpur.
18 (a) Lishk, S. S. and Sharma, S. D. (1975), "Occultations of the Moon in Jaina Astronomy", Tulsi Prajna, Vol. 1 No. 3, pp. 64-69.
(b) Lishk, S. S. and Sharma, S. D. (1975), "Latitude of the Moon as Determined in Jaina Astronomy", Sraman, Vol. 27 No. 2, pp. 28-35, P. V. Research Institute, Varanasi.
19 Lishk, S. S. and Sharma, S. D. (1976), "Chatratichatra Yoga in Surya-Prajnapti”, Tirthankar, Vol. 2 No. 1, pp. 27-35, 41.
20 Neugebauer, O. (1975), A History of Ancient Mathematical Astronomy, p. 514.