Astronomy and Cosmology

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

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wesi along the ecliptic. Now the shift from Dhanişthā (B Delphini ) of the sun's winter solstice to Abhijit (c-Lyrae) is about 1703', according to Prof. Thibaut. This means that the observations of the above calendrical phenomena were made after a difference of about 1231 years.
Various dates have been suggested about the Vedānga Jyotişa; Colebrooke H. T. : (C.-1108), Max Müller : (-3rd century), Weber, A. : (C.+5th century).
DATE OF ADOPTION OF CALENDAR
Lishk and Sharma 67 have pointed out an important fact about the fitst point of Aries, “It may also be noted that no reference has as yet been found to point out that the order of rāśis (signs) began from a sign other than Meşa (sidereal Aries) or the Meşa sign began from a nakşatra (asterism) other then Asvini (B Arietis). There is no doubt that these terms denoting elliptic signs were not current in Vedārga Jyotişa period. Probably these terms came into vogue when Vernal equinox occurred in Asvini (B Arietis) nakşatra (asterism) and M+şa sign (sidereal Aries) at that time. The tropical longitude of the star B arietis, the identifying star of Aśvini, was 310 53' and that of Arietis, 350 34' in 1850 A. D. Hence the years when the tropical longitudes of these stars were zero, can be worked out, taking 72 years for 10 precession as follows :
310 53' X 72 ( = 2296 ) – 1850 = 446 B. C. 350 34' x 72 ( = 2561 ) --- 1850 = 711 B. C.
and
The mean of these dates is 579 B. C.
Since the winter solstice in Abhijit (Lyrae) corresponds to Vernal equinox in Asvini (B Arietis ), probably it was the period when reckoning of first point of the zodiacal circumference was shifted from winter solstice to Vernal equinox. Thus in the light of this discussion, the probable period of Jaina Canon may be assigned to about 6th century B. C." 68
67. Lishk, S, S., & Sharma, S. D., Sources of Jaina Astronomy, Jaina
Canonical Literature, Jaina Antiquary, 29.2, 19-32, 1976. 68. The eighth equinox occurs, on the white 15 of Vaišākha at the conjun
ction of Aśvini nakgatra, after lapse of 93 parvas from the beginning of Yuga. (T. P., pt. II, v. 7.544, p. 750), Trilokasāra (v. 426) mentions the white 15 of Vaišākha as dark 1 of Vaisakha.
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