Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 396

Sec. IV)
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
371
Whatever may be the astronomical truth behind this revolution of the day and night, it is apparently clear that the occurrences of the day and night are caused by the course of the sun in its own or bit.
Division of Day and Night The text further explains the division of the whole day and night into thirty muhurtas which operate in different regions of this world according to the unit of time.
Thus it is stated that when in Jumvudvī pa in the southern half there becomes the longest day of eighteen muhūrtas, then in the northern half also there becomes the longest day of eighteen muhurtas."
When in the northern half it becomes the longest day of eighteen mukūrtas then in Jambūdvīpa it becomes the shortest night of twelve muhūrtas to the east and west of Mandāra mountain.
There occurs the longest day of eighteen muhurtas simultaneously in the regions lying to the east and west of Mandara mountain. When it becomes the longest day of eighteen muhurtas to the west of Mandāra mountain then it becomes the night of twelve muhurtas to the north of Mandāra mountain. In both the southern and northern halves of Jambūdvëpa it becomes the day of little less than eighteen muhūrtas simultaneously.
• When in the northern half it becomes the day of little less than eighteen muhurtas, then it becomes the night of little more than twelve muhūrtas to the east and west of Mandara mountain. In the eastern and western halves of Jambūdužpa there occurs the day of little less than eighteen muhurtas at the same time. When in the western hemisphere it becomes the day of little less than eighteen muhūrtas, then it becomes the night of little more than twelve muhurtas to the south of Mandāra mountain.
By this order the length of the day and that of the night decrease and increase respectively. Thus when it becomes the day
1 BhS, 5, 1, 177.