Jain Journal 1984 01

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

Page 12

JANUARY, 1984
85
“(The required period) is 366 days and nights.
“How many mandalas does Sun tread upon during this period—twice upon how many mandalas and once upon how many mandalas ?
“(During this period, the Sun) treads upon 184 mandalas-twice upon 182 mandalas i.e. while (once) going outward (towards the outermost mandala) and (then) coming inward (towards the innermost mandala) (and) once upon two mandalas i.e. the innermost mandala (and) the outermost mandala."
Evidently, the exact number of solar mandalas
=2 x 182+2=366...........
.................(1)
Thus in 366 days and nights the sun treads upon 366 solar mandalas.
Velocity of Sun across the solar mandala
=1 solar mandala/day (day and night)...
.........................(2)
(iii) Distances of Solar Mandalas (Sun's Diurnal Circles) from Meru :
As regards the north-south distances of solar mandalas from Meru, JP.7.4-5 states as :
“The innermost solar mandala (Sun's diurnal circle on Summer solstice day) is 44820 yojanas distant (from Meru). Second to the inner most mandala is 44822 yojanas distant (from Meru). Third to the
innermost mandala is 44
yojanas (distant from Meru). By increa
sing the distance by yojanas per mandala, the Sun (finally) reaches the outermost mandala (Sun's diurnal circle on Winter solstice day). The outermost mandala is 45330 yojanas distant from Meru."
Here it is worthy of note that as per our exposition? of Jaina tentative astronomical model of Meru, true axis of earth passes along the hypotenuse of the approximate cone (made up of frustrum of cones) of Meru and thus the axis of Meru passes through the earth at a distance of 5000 yojanas (radius of base of Meru on flat earth) from the true axis of earth. In the light of this discussion, it seems plausible that the earth distance
? See ref. No. 1.