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JAIN JOURNAL
Sr. Name of No. vithi (lane)
Nakşatras according to Bhadrabahu
Nakşatras according to Kasyapa and Devala
Nakşatras according to Garga, Samasa and Varahamihira
8. mrga
(deer)
Anuradha Jyestha, Mula
Jyestha
Mula, P. sadha (a Scorpii), (8 Sagittarii), Mula (a Scorpii), U. sadha Anuradha (o Sagittarii) (& Scorpii)
9.
vaisvānara (fire)
P. sadha P. bhadrapada P. sadha, (Sagittarii), (a Pegasi), U. sadha U. sadha U. bhadrapada (o Sagittarii), (y Pegasi), Abhijit (a Lyrae) Revati (s Piscium)
It may be noted that if mīga vithi (deer lane) and aja vithi (goat lane) interchange their places the order of vithis, according to Kasyapa and Devala, becomes associated with the nakşatras in the natural order. This way of distribution of nakșatras (asterisms) in their natural order among the vithis arranged in the descending order of their numbers of days of combustion (see table No. 2) seems to be more of theoretical interest for practically it cannot hold good as the number of days of combustion is a complicated function13 of many factors like latitude of observer, apses of orbit of Venus, apses of orbit of earth etc. and especially geocentric latitude of Venus.
According to Garga, Samasa and Varahamihira group, the pattern of allocating the naksatras (asterisms) to different vithis (lanes) is almost the same as that of BBS, except that Svati (« Bootis) is transferred from aja vithi (goat lane) to nāga vithi (snake lane), Asvini (B Arietis) from nāga vithi (snake lane) to go vithi (cow lane). Besides, Abhijit (a Lyrae) is excluded from the list of nakşatras (asterisms) in BTS. This indicates that Varahamihira et al were the followers of Siddhantic astronomy wherein only the 27 nakşatras were held in esteem; and they might have
13 Ketkar, V. B. (1954), Graha Ganita (in Marathi).
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