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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1894.
the fullmoon night of PhAlguna to be “the mouth of the year." Moreover, another paysage of the Taittiriya Samhitá asserts that Uttara Phalgant is the first night of the year and Parva Phalguni is the last, which assertions are repeated in figurative language by the author of the Kaushitaki Brâhmaņa. From the first set of utterances both Prof. Jacobi and Prof. Tilak inter, as has been done by others before them, that in the Vedic times & year, beginning with the fall moon of Phålguna, was used, and Prof. Jacobi a lone points out that the second set of statements permits the inference that there was also a second year, beginning exactly six months later in Praushthapada or Bhadrapada."
The same scholar shews further that a third reckoning began with the month of Margnsirsha, which in the Grihya Satras and in Påņini's Grammar is called Agrahîyana or Ågrahyayika belonging to the beginning of the year. Thus there are for the Vedic times three years, a Phalguna-year, six months later a Praushtbapada-year, and again three months later a Margasirsba-year. Such a variety of beginnings is, according to Prof. Jacobi, not surprising, as the Hindus used in historical times and still use various initial days for their reckoning, sometimes two or three in the same province. In order to sew the force of this argument more fully, I may add, that in historical India the year began, or begins, with not less than seven different months, vis., (1) Chaitra, (2) Vaisakha, (3) Ashadba, (4) Bhadrapada, (5) Åsvina, (6) Kârttika and (7) Mârgaśirsha, while a beginning with Phalguna has been proved for Ceylon by Prof. Kern (Der Buddhismus, Vol. II, p. 263.). The first three beginuings, as well as the fifth and sixth, are known from the works of astronomers and from inscriptions. The fourth is expressly mentioned by Bêrûni, India, Vol. II. p. 8,6 and so is the seventh, which, in his times, was used in various provinces of Northern and North-Western India. Its occurrence is also vouched for by the Bhagavadgitá, X. 35, by Mahabharata, XIII. 106, 11 ff. (as Prof. Jacobi points ont to me), and by the markósha. This is just what might be expected in a large country like India, which was cut up into numerous political and other divisions. But it seems to me that in the Vedic works there are other indications, such as the contradictory statements regarding the number of the seasons, shewing that the reckoning of time even in the most early period was by no means uniform and that various opinions regarding astronomical matters prevailed.
The question, which now arises, is what the astronomical position of the Nakshatras was, according to which the three initial months of tbese Vedic years were named. Do these years belong to the period when the colare of the equinoxes passed through Kpittikâ and Visakh and that of the solstices through Maghả and Sravaņà ? Or do they belong to an earlier time, when the colure of the solstices went through Uttara Phalg uni and Purva Bbadrapada and that of the equinoxes through Mrigasiras and Müla ? In other words do they belong to the time, when the series of the Nakshatras, counting from that at the vernal equinox, began with Kittika, or from the period when Mrigasiras occupied that position P
Both scholars decide for the latter assomption, but on grounds which partly differ. In stating these, I venture to arrange those among them, which appear to me particularly valuable, in my own way, and to somewhat expand them
And priori argument for Profs. Jacobi's and Tilak's views is, that it gives a rational explanation, why the Ancient Hindus began their years with these three months. If the winter
1 The enumeration of the months in the Parisishta No. 67 of the Athar udveda begins, as Prof, Weber state (Die vedischen Nachrichten von den Nakshatras, II. p. 834, Note %), with Srivapa, and proves the use of a VarshA-yeat for the period, when according to the Krittik A-series the summer solstice fell in MaghA, (The Jaina Jambridiva. pannatti likewise gives Savana as the first month, see Weber, Indische Studien, Vol. XVI. p. 415.-Jacobi.]
Professor Tilak (Orion, p. 79) combats the idea that the Hindus ever began the year with this month, but adduces valuable evidence (also mentioned in Prof. Weber's essay quoted above) for the fact, which is oloarly stated by Bêrani.
• Compare alaa Kamasitra, p. 39, 1. 9 (H. Jacobi.]
• One of my Pandits in Surat, I forgot which of them, told me that some Brahmans still began the year with Bhadrapada.
