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TULASI-PRAJNĀ, July-Sept., 1991
understand a part of the Argavijjā text we would recommend the readers to have a thorough grasp of the Brhatsaṁhitā and other works of Varāhamihira, who was a renowned scholar and is said to have obtained a special book from the Sun God, and his guru was his own father, known as Aditya-dāsa (the servant of the Sun). Similarity between the Angavijjā and the Brhatsamhitā
Though the Angavijjā seems to be a much earlier work than the Brhatsaṁhită of Varāhamihira, both are based on the teachings of the earlier traditions. Varāhamihira is known as JulfGG OTTEET itaaf. i.e. the compiler of the works on the science of jyotişa. His work is also known as Argaviniscaya which determines the marks of the body (1.9). Obviously both are based on the then-existing ancient literature, providing lot of information with regard to various features of Indian social life.
It is significant that the Brhatsamhită has devoted a chapter entitled Angavidya (Signs of Limbs, 51) containing 44 verses. The commentator Utpala, while commenting on this chapter has cited several quotations from Pārāśara which shows that Pārāśara was considered an authority on the subject. In the last verse of the chapter the author declares: “Thus I have explained clearly the science of prognostication of touching the limbs, after carefully examining the Treatises on the subject so that the people may attain their cherished obiect. An intelligent and noble astrologer who knows all this will always be honoured by the kings and the people.”'1
Another interesting point about this chapter of the Brhatsamhita is that all the 44 verses (except the first one which is interchanged with a somewhat different verse) are identical with the verses printed under the first appendix (prathamarn parišiştam) of the Angaviijā (pp. 272280). The title given to this Appendix by late Muni Punyavijaya, is "Satikam Angavidyāśāstram' (the Angavidyāśāstra with commentary) with a footnote saying that he got this incomplete work broken, without a heginning and an end and that he himself had provided this title to the work ग्रन्थोऽयमाद्यन्तविरहितः खण्डित एव प्राप्तोऽस्ति, अतो नामाप्यस्येदं मत्परि1. इति निगदितमे तद् गात्र-संस्पर्श-लक्ष्म, प्रकटमभिमताप्त्यं वीक्ष्य । विपुलमतिरुदारो वेत्ति यः सर्वमेतन्नरपतिजनताभिः पूज्यतेऽसौ सदैव ॥ ५१.४४
A manuscript of Angavidyā is recorded in the Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute collection, Jodbpur pt. I, 1963, p. 296. It is stated
at the author's work is based on the instructions awarded by Nārada :
अंगविद्या प्रवक्ष्यामि नारदेन यत्कृतम् । अंगदर्शनमात्रेण ज्ञायते च शुभाशुभम् ।।
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