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TULSI-PRAJNA
6. The phenomena of heliacal rising and setting of venus were keenly, observed. The concept of yfthis (lanes) of venus among the different parts of lunar zodiac is peculiar to Jaina School of astronomy. Such kinematical studies of venus are parallel to those of planetary ephemerides of Seleucid and Menomides periods.
7. Jaina's cycles of eclipses viz. 42 eclipse months cycle of lunar eclipses and 48 eclipse years cycle of solar eclipses, are absolutely free from any foreign influence of Chaldean Saros or Metonic cycle.
8. Directions of lunar occultations with nakşatras indicate a notion of celestial latitude of moon. Chatraticatra yoga (lunas occultation with Citra i.e. Virginis) has been illustrated in detail. Probably that was the time when reckoning of the first point of zodiacal circumference was shifted from winter Solstice to Verbal equinox.
9. Jainas had a set theoretic approach, e.g., in classification of Jyotişikas (astral bodies).
10. Jainas used zigzag functions parallel to their use in Babylonian astronomy of Seleucid period.
11. Jainas had developed a technique of measuring celestial distances in terms of corresponding distances projected along the surface of earth. Variation of declination, celestial latitude of moon and diurnal paths of sun and moon were measured in an alike manner.
12. Astronomical instruments like gnomon, water-psydra etc. were in use.
Obviously, irrespective of certain resemblances between Vedānga Jyotişa and Jaina astronomy, the latter represents a far advanced astronomical system over Vedānga Jyotisa. In the absence of knowledge of Jaina astronomy, a confusing link between Vedānga Jyotişa and Siddhantic astronomy has been the product of certain similarities between Vedanga Jyotisa and Paitāmaha Siddhānta. Our findings in Jaina School of astronomy have opened up many new vistas of research in this field and thus the task of bridging the gap between Vedānga Jyotisa and Siddhāntic astronomy has been initiated on its progress
N. B.: For more details, see SS. Lishk's PhD thesis entitled
Mathematical Analysis of Post-Vedānga Pre-Siddhāntic Data in Jaina Astronomy' Panjabi University, Patiala (January, 1977).
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