Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 398

Sec. IV]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATÍ SÚTRA
373
When there becomes the longest prahara of four and a half muhūrtu8 of day or of night, there takes place the shortest prahara of three mukūrta8 of day or of night, getting decreased and decreased by one hundred and twenty second part of a muhūrta.'
When there is the shortest prahara of three mukūrtas of day or of night, there becomes the longest prahara of four and a half muhūrlas of day or of night, getting increased and increased by one hundred twenty second part of a muhurta.
When there becomes the longest day of eighteen muhürtas and the shortest night of twelve muhūrtas, then there takes place the longest pruhara of four and a half muhurtas and the shortest prahara of three muhûrtas.
In the case of the night also the whole account should be known like that of the day.
In the year on the Āsādha Púrnimā day (the day of the full moon) there becomes the longest day of eighteen muhurtas and the shortest night of twelve muhürtas while on the day of Pauşa-Pūrạimā there take place the longest night of eighteen muhürtas and the shortest day of twelve muhūrtas.
On the day of Caitra and Asvina-Pürnimās (full moon) both the day and night become equal, having fifteen muhūrtas each and there becomes the prahara of three and three-fourth muhūrtas of the day and night.”
These evidences clearly show the remarkable development of Astronomy at that period and throw an important light upon the mathematical foundation of this branch of knowledge, a comparative discussion of which may be made with the modern Astronomy.
It is a well-known fact in the Astronomical Science that there occur two Solstices, viz. Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice at about the 21st June and 22nd December respectively. At these times the sun is furthest from the equator and appears to pause before returning,
BhS, 11, 11, 425. ? Ib, 11, 11, 425.