________________
36
INTRODUCTION
Having studied many works, Late Dr. Nemichandraji Shastry has written with fruitful labour a book named 'Bharatiya Jyotisa". Therein on pp. 57-60 he has given information about Süryaprajñapti, Candraprajñapti and Jyotişkaraṇḍaka. About Jyotiskarandaka he writes as follows:
"Jyotiskarandaka-This is an original work on ancient Jyotisa (Astronomy). Its subject-matter is in the undeveloped state as is the subject-matter of Vedänga-Jyotisa. Nakṣatra lagna is propounded in it also. On the examination of its language, style etc. we find that it belongs to 300-400 B.C. Therein we have been told about lagna. It is as follows:
laggam ca dakkhiṇāyaṇavisuvesu vi assa uttaram ayane I laggam sai visuvesu pamcasu vi dakkhine ayane II
That is, Assa means Aśvini and Sai means Svāti, these Nakṣatras are shown as lagna of visuva. Like a zadiac sign of a special state, here Naksatras of a special state are regarded as lagna,
In this work, we come across the examination of various enumerations of Nakṣatras, viz. enumeration beginning with Krttika, that beginning with Dhanistha, that beginning with Bharani, that beginning with Sravana and that beginning with Abhijit."
-Bharatiya Jyotisa, published by Bharatiya Jnanapith, 14th edition, p. 60.
Even in the abovenoted information Dr. Nemichandraji has taken note of that Jyotiskarandaka gatha which had been discussed by Shri Kulkarni: Intelligent readers can easily understand that there is all the possibility of the explanation being incomplete and inconsistent if it is based on the corrupt and irregular gatha.
The date of the composition of Jyotişkaraṇḍaka seems to have been determined by Dr. Nemichandra on the basis of the treatment of the astronomical subject-matter, as found in Süryaprajñapti on which is based the composition of Jyotiskarandaka. But according to the statement of the editor of the present publication, supported by the textual evidence, the author of Jyotiskarandaka is Pādaliptasūri who flourished in c. flourished in c. 1st Cent. A.D. (about 467 Vira Nirvana Samvat).
I have not studied the science of Astronomy (Jyotis). So I have no right to write anything about it. Yet I give below very little but useful information which does not pertain to the actual science of Astronomy but is available in the work.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
