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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
longitude of the moon for finding the Nakshatra and Rasi. The Nakshatras divide the course of the sun into 27 equal parts which determine fixed periods of the year. These periods are commonly used for regulating agricultural labours; but I do not know whether they are mentioned in the dates of documents. The particulars most frequently mentioned in dates are the Sankrantis. As a Sankranti is the moment of the true beginning of a solar month, this element can be derived from the tables.
In connection with those Sankrantis, however, which determine the Uttarayana and Dakshiņayana, it will be necessary to remark respecting the precession of the equinoxes (Krántipátagati), that as stated above, the Hindus measured all longitudes on the fixed ecliptic, taking for its initial point the vernal equinox, as it was in 8600 K.Y." At that time the sidereal (nirayana) signs coincided with the tropical (sáyana) signs, but afterwards they differed from each other by the amount of the precession (ayandmea). This amount, in degrees, is found by multiplying the difference between the given year K.Y. and 8600w by 8, and dividing by 200; e.g. in 4572 K.Y. the ayanámka amounted to sw =14058 or 14° 34' 8. By-so much the beginning of every tropical (sáyana) sign precedes that of the sidereal sign. Hence to find a tropical (sáyana) Samkranti, we must subtract the ayanámea of the given year from the number of degrees supplied by Table V for the beginning of the fixed (sidereal or nirayana) signs. Thus the beginning of the tropical sign Kanya in K.Y. 4572 will be at 150°-14° 35=135° 25' of longitude. Table VIII shews that the sun was at that point about the 17th Bhadrapada. By means of Tables I-III, we find the day to have been a Friday, Bhadra pada sudi 2, and we compute as follows:
Per.
(An.
Cor. K.Y. 4500 .
428 .
(0) .
22-99 428 .
+ 45 72 years . . . (0) 17:04 434
-2230 17th Bhadr.
(6) 21:54
(6) 1:57 907 An. 907, eq. 0.19
1.76 Friday, sudi 2 We must, however, as explained above, $ 37, add as many minutes to the longitude of the sun for the calculated day (in this case, 135° 10') as the solar correction for the year (-18gh. 45p.) has ghatikás ; 135° 10' + 19 = 135° 29'. Accordingly the sáyana Samhránti of Kanya, which should take place at 135° 25', occurred just before the beginning of the day calculated, vis, about 4 ghatikás earlier.
A calculation of this sort should be made whenever a date coupled with a Sankranti. does not come out correctly in all particulars. For, it is possible that a sáyana Samkranti may be intended, since these Sankrantis too are auspicious moments.
Eclipses. 40. The solar and lunar eclipses from B.C. 1207 down to A.D. 2000 are registered in von Oppolzer's Canon der Finsternisse. The details of solar eclipses can easily be derived from the tables of Dr. Schram (ib. vol. LI). To these works therefore the student is referred in all cases where actual eclipses have to be dealt with. But the
According to the Siddhanta Siromani, however, in 3628 K.Y.
» The role for the Siddhanta Siromani ia-subtract 8628 from the given year K.Y., the remainder is the ayanda in minutes. Babtruot from this result, if a high degree of accuracy is wanted, the tenth part of the above remainder taken M seconde.
» Denkschriften der Kaiserlichen Akademic der Wissenschaften, math, natur. Clause, Wien, vol. LII.
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