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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1895.
the scheme based on the hypothesis of the quinquennial yuga is altogether incomprehensible. Probably there took place from time to time violent reforms of the calendar, imperiously necessitated by glaring discrepancies between the results of the received theory and the actual state of things. But that in the pre-Hellenic period there was anything like a methodical correction of received chronometrical and astronomical theories, such as results frors continued methodical observation, we have no right to assume. When Variha Mihira, in the sixth centary of the Christian era, undertook to give a survey of the different Hinda systems of astronomy, he appears to have had before kimself works of two different descriptions only such as were manifestly based on Greek science, and such as were in all essential features not superior to the Jyotisha Védánga. And when we note that he manifestly was acquainted only with two positions of the summer solstice, - viz., the one belonging to his own period and the old traditional one recorded in the Védánga, and that hence evidently there existed no record of an analogous observation from the whole period 'intervening between those two observations (a period of, let us say, 1700 years), we shall feel neither inclined to form a high opinion of the skill of the people who made the earlier observation, nor to believe that that observation was preceded by a series of older analogous observations, and that records of these are embodied in ancient Hindu literature.
Postscript. This paper was nearly finished when I became acquainted with Prof. Bühler's Note on Prof. Jacobi's Age of the Veda and on Prof. Tilak's Orion,' published in the Indian Antiquary, September 1894, and, also, through Major R. C. Temple's courtesy, with the Inte Prof. Whitney's paper On Jacobi and Tilak on the age of the Veda,' printed in the Proceedings of the Anerican Oriental Society for March 1894. The latter paper, with whose conclusions I agree, does not call for any remark on my part. To much of what Prof. Bühler remarks my own paper contains a reply. I do not in general wish to contest what Prof. Bühler says about the probability of Vedic culture and literature reaching back to a more remote past than has hitherto been generally assumed. But I must adhere to my contention that with the possible exception of Ksittikas heading the old list of the nakshatras - no astronomical datum has, so far, been pointed out in Vedic literature which leads back further than the period when the winter-solstice' was in Sravishthag.
NARSINH MEHETANUN MAMERUN. A POEM BY PREMANAND, TRANSLATED FROM THE GUJARATI WITH Note3,
BY MRS. P. J. KABRAJI (Née PUTLIBAI D. H. WADIA). (Continued from p. 81.)
Canto IV. The priest Khôkhalô placed the letter in Mêhêtaji's hand, 120 Who, on reading the good tidings called upon the Lord of Vaikunth:" Maternity gifts are expected from me for my daughter and I have not so much as a false
coin in my house. 49Trikamji, may you remain in readiness, for much gold will be required (on this occasion)." Feeding the priest and giving him alms, the MêhêtA fell at his feet,
And said :-"We shall come with the gifts," and dismissed him. 125 Then Narsinh Mêhêtâ sent for his Vériigiso friends and relatives and said to them) :
“We have to carry gifts (for her relatives), as Kuivarbîi expects her simant." (So they prepared) a broken carriage, with the yokes all bent and the spokes and tyres all
broken. The poles and spokes belonged to one person; of another they borrowed a pair of bullocks. And so the Mêhêtaji went forth, after invoking the aid of Jagdisaji.61 * An epithet of Krishna. 39 Ascetics. 61 The Lord of the Univerae, being a title of Krishņa.
