Chronological Systems of Gujarat

Author(s): Bharati K Shelat
Publisher: Pranav Shelat

Page 22

tithis, week-days, yogas and karaņas. In one of the Sūtras36, the names of the Rāśis are also given.
Further in the third Vedānga, Nirukta, the divisional terms of time such as muhūrtas and ksanas are introduced37. Nirukta contains references to days, nights, fortnights, solstices etc38
As for references given in Pāṇini's Grammar, the word samvatsara in the sense of a year mentioned in the Vedic literature is also seen here in the same sense39. The names of the months are given as Caitrādi40. At one place the word muhūrta is givenol. Though there is not a single reference to tithi, it does not necessarily follow that this word in its original sense was not familiar at that time. Some names of the nakşatras have been found in the grammar of Pāṇini42.
In the Smộti literature occur a number of astronomical terms. In the Yājñavalkya Smộti, nine planets are enumerated43. The sequence of the first seven of them corresponds to that of the week-days. But from this sequence it is difficult to ascertain whether the planets are, here, represented in association with the karaņas of earlier times or the corresponding week-days of later times.
In the passage pertaining to Śrāddhakāla, given in 36. Minameşayor meşavřsabhayor vasantaḥ'.. Bodhāyanasūtra;
BI., p. 144 37. Nirukta, 2,25 38. Ibid., 14,9 39. Pāṇini's Grammar, 5,1,88; 7,3,16 -40. Ibid., 4,2,21 4 1. Ibid. 3,3,9 42. Ibid., 3,1,116; 1,2,61; 1,2,62 -43. Yājžavalkya Smộti, Ācārādhyāya, Verse No. 296