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Sec. 1V] STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA 363
The setting sun illuminates, causes to shine, makes hot and lustrous the space which is illuminated, etc., by the rising sun with its rays on all sides in all directions.
It illuminates, causes to shine, makes hot and bright the space which is touched by its rays as a rule in six directions.
Thus whatever space is touched by the rays of the sun during the touching time in all directions, may be called the touched space and the sun touches the touched space but not the untouched space in all directions.3
In these statements whatever may be the scientific truth regarding the existence of two suns etc., the thought and experience of the learned society of the scholars of that age, as revealed in the study of the course of the sun and illumination of the space of the Universe by its rays lead one to probe into the knowledge of Astronomy acquired and applied by them in the field of education.
Lunar Eclipse
It was the popular belief at that period that when Rähu, the heavenly demon, seized and devoured the moon, the lunar eclipse took place in the Universe.
Against this popular belief of the society it is explained in the Bhs that Rāhudeva is endowed with great prosperity and attributed with the following nine names :- Srngataka, Jațilaka, Ksambhaka (Ksatraka), Kharaka, Dardura, Maraka, Matsya, Kacchapa, Krşņasarpa and he is possessed of five vimānas (heavenly houses), having five colours, viz. black (Krşņa), blue (nāla), red (lohita), yellow (haridrā) and white (sukla).
When Rāhu, coming or going or assuming various shapes, or enjoying sexual intercourse crosses to the west by covering the moonlight in the east, then the moon becomes visible in the east and Rahu in the west.
1,9 BIS, 1, 6, 50.
* Ib, 12, 6, 453.
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