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OCTOBER 1985
At last the Moon becomes completely uncovered (virakta) and it becomes covered and uncovered 34 in successive order as explained above.
The aforesaid astronomical view of the function of Dhruva Rahu indicates the phases of the Moon as explained in modern astronomy. “The most obvious phenomenon shown by the Moon and one which must have excited the admiration of mankind from the earliest times is its apparent change of shape from a narrow crescent to a full circle and back to the crescent form. This change of shape or phase is due to two circumstances, first the Moon shines only by reflected sunlight, and second, as it revolves around the Earth, different portions of its sunlit side are presented to our views." 35
It is indicative here from the statement of Jaina Astronomy on the constant motion of Dhruva Rahu below the Moon, causing śuklapaksa and krsnapaksa, purnimā and amavasyā respectively that the lunar and solar eclipses do not occur except at full Moon and new Moon respectively till Dhruva Rahu fully releases and covers the Moon successively, and Parva Rahu steps in its celestial motion at proper time to cause eclipse.
Limit and Frequency of the Lunar and Solar Eclipses
Jaina Astronomy explains the limit of the lunar and solar eclipses on the basis of its astronomical observation by stating in short that Parva Rahu which causes the eclipses stays (citțhati) by covering the moonlight after six months (i.e. at an interval of six months) in the minimum and forty-two months in the maximum and the sunlight after six months in the minimum and forty-eight years in the maximum.36 That is to say, the greatest possible number of lunar eclipses in a year is two at an interval of six months and a year may pass without any lunar eclipse and it may also occur at an interval of forty-two months. The greatest possible number of solar eclipses is two in a year at an interval of six months and it may occur at an interval of forty-eight years. So the greatest possible
84 avasese sama camde ratte ya viratte ya bhavai, tameva sukkapakkhe uvadamsemane
2 citthati, tam padhamae padhamam bhagam java camde viratte ya bhavai, avasese samae camde ratte viratte ya bhavati, Ibid.
kinham rahuvimanam...anubhavena camdassa, Ibid. 86 Astronomy, p. 128, John Charles Duncan. 36 Bhagavati Vyakhyaprajnapti, 12.6.453-5.
Suriyapannatti, pahuda 20. Camdapannatti, pahuda 20. Lokaprakasa, Pt. II, sarga 20.
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