Jain Journal 1980 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 14

86
five-year cycle of sixty-two lunar months was fixed on the sidereal lunar zodiac. It is worthy of note that the theory of classification of nakşatras into kula, upakula, and kulopakula does not fit exactly the theory of Jaina five-year fixed calendar based on mean motion of the Moon. It seems plausible that the five-year fixed calendar was used for regulating their religious life whereas the concept of classification of nakṣatras into kula etc. was devised to study lunar motion for astronomical purposes. Such classification of nakṣatras has not hitherto been found anywhere else.
JAIN JOURNAL
7. Cycles of Eclipses
Jainas had found out a unique cycle of eclipses depending upon two component cycles, viz. forty-two eclipse months cycle of lunar eclipses and forty-eight eclipse years cycle of solar eclipses. These cycles of eclipses were based upon observation of periodic repetition of eclipses in five different colours irrespective of any accurate knowledge of true motion of Rahu (lunar ascending mode). Jainian eclipse cycles are completely free from any foreign influences of Chaldean Saros or Metonic cycle. 21
8. Lunar Occultations and Conjunctions with Nakṣatras (Asterisms)
It is revealed that the concept of direction of lunar conjunction with a nakṣatra implies the notion of position of identifying star or the nakşatra with respect to the region where the Moon moves among the stars. Thus any nakşatra situated inside the belt of lunar zodiac occults the Moon from both the northern and the southern directions depending upon the position of lunar nodes. Some other nak şatras lying southward (northward) to the belt of lunar zodiac occult or combine with Moon always from the southern (northern) direction. This suggests some Jainian trends towards the notion of celestial latitude of the Moon.22
Besides, chaträtichatra yoga (lunar occultation with Citra or Virginis) deserves a special mention. Out of ten yogas (weal and woe conjunctions), only this yoga is defined in Jaina canonical texts. Its description implies that the positions of the Moon and the Sun had been used to be, for some time, determined with respect to cardinal points. Even these days α Virginis is given much importance in the present day Citrapaksiya School of almanac-making according to which Citra has celestial longitude 180° and the zero point of zodiac is exactly opposite to it. It is surmised that that might have been the time when
21 Lishk, S.S. and Sharma, S.D. (1976). 'Cycles of Eclipses in Jaina Astronomy', Sumer Chand Memorical Volume, pp.40-48, Jabalpur.
22 Lishk, S.S. and Sharma, S.D. (1975), 'Occultations of the Moon in Jaina Astronomy', Tulsi Prajna, Vol.1. No.3, pp. 64-69. See also ref. No.9.