Astronomy and Cosmology

Author(s): L C Jain
Publisher: Rajasthan Prakrit Bharti Sansthan Jaipur

Page 42

mathematical investigation that brings the very numerical data to tell a chronology and a history of Indian astronomy for the most part unexpected till to-day."
The above statement is one of the various aspects of reality, so seriously felt by Billard. According to him such observations are v scattered from 721 B. C. to 141 A. D., in Greece. What was done in India during this dark period ? The Jaina school was speeulating the maxim and mininum periods of life-time of human, sub-human, gods, and hellish beings in terms of palyas, muhūrtas, sāgaras, and so on.
CONCEPT OF PALYA AND SĀGARA
Let us just see the description of a palya,51 "Palya is of three kinds, vyavahāra palya, uddhāra palya and addhāpalya. These are significant terms, The first is called vyavahāra palya as it is the basis for the usage of the other two palyas, There is nothing which is measured by this. The second is uddhāra palya, as the continents and oceans are numbered by the bits of wool drawn out. The third is addhāpalya. Addhā means duration of time.
Now the first palya is described. Three pits of the extent one yojana (consisting of 2,000 krośas) long, one yojana broad and one yojana deep, based on the measure of pramāņārgula, are dug out. These are packed with the smallest ends of the wool of rams from one to seven days old, the bits incapable of being further cut by scissors. This is called vyavahāra palya. Then the small bits of wool are taken out one by one once in every one hundred years. The time taken for emptying the pits in this manner is called vyavahāra palyopama. Each bit is again cut into so many pieces as there are instants in innumerable crores of years. And
nagine that) with such bits the pits are filled up. This is called uddhāra
lya. Then these bits are taken out one by one every instant. The time taken for emptying the pits in this manner is called uddhāra palyopama. Ten crores multiplied by one crore uddhārapalyas make up one uddhāra sāgaropama. The continents and oceans are as numerous as the bits in two and a half uddhāra sāgaropamas. The pits are filled with bits got from cutting each bit of uddhārapalya into the number of instants in one hundred years. This is addhāpalya. Then these bits are taken out one by one every instant. The time taken to empty the pits in this manner is called addhāpalyopama. Ten crores multiplied by one crore addhāpalyas make one
51.
Cf. Jain, S, A., Reality- Eng. Trans. of Shri Pujyapāda's Sarvārtha Siddhi, Calcutta, 1960, pp. 105-106.
23