A History of Sanskrit Literature c35.s9: 9. Later Works on Astrology
A History of Sanskrit Literature c35.s9
- Language
- English
9. Later Works on Astrology
c35.s9.1
Little need be said of later exponents of this dubious science. Pṛthuyaças, son of Varāhamihira, wrote a *Horāṣaṭpañcāçikā*,¹ on nativities, on which Bhaṭṭotpala commented, as he did on all Varāhamihira’s works, the comment on the *Bṛhaj Jātaka* being dated in 966; he himself wrote a *Horāçāstra* in seventy-five verses. Bhaṭṭotpala is historically interesting for the citations he makes from lost works. The *Vidyāmādhavīya* (before 1350) claims to put in correct language as opposed to barbarisms (*apaçabda*) the precepts of Vasiṣṭha, Bṛhaspati, Gārgya, and others.
c35.s9.2
¹ Ed. Calcutta, 1875.
c35.s9.3
Other texts of dubious antiquity are not rare, including a *Vṛddha Vāsiṣṭha Saṁhitā* and the Jain *Jyotiṣasāroddhāra* of Harṣakīrti Sūri. The *Jyotirvidābharaṇa*² may be mentioned, because it is the source whence was derived the current doctrine of the nine jewels of the court of Vikramāditya; it is quite late, shows Arabic influence, and need not date before the sixteenth century; it was commented on in 1661. Many works were written also on the auspicious moments for ceremonies, marriages, journeys, and so forth, under the style of Muhūrta as the first part of the title; and, when Arabic and Persian influences became marked under the Mahomedan régime, Tājikas appeared, the name being derived from Persian Taiji, ‘Arabic’. Nīlakaṇṭha’s *Tājika*, in two parts, *Saṁjñā-* and *Varṣa- tantra*, was written in 1587 and exists in numerous manuscripts and editions.
c35.s9.4
² Weber, ZDMG. xxii. 708 ff.; xxiv. 393 ff.
c35.s9.5
On omens and prognostications there are also many late treatises; the *Adbhutasāgara*³ was begun in 1168 by Ballālasena of Bengal and finished by Lakṣmaṇasena, while the *Samudratilaka*, begun in 1160 under Kumārapala of Gujarāt by Durlabharāja, son of Narasiṁha, was finished by his son Jagaddeva, who also wrote the *Svapnacintāmaṇi*,⁴ explaining dreams; the similarity of dream motifs to Märchen is noteworthy. The *Narapatijayacaryā Svarodaya*⁵ was written at Aṇahillapaṭṭana under Ajayapāla of Gujarāt (1174–7) by Narahari, son of Āmradeva of Dhārā; it deals with the use of magic diagrams, marked with mystic letters or syllables, as a means of prognostication in respect of warlike operations and adventurous undertakings. From Persia appears to have been borrowed the art of geomancy, which is represented by the *Ramalarahasya*¹ of Bhayabhañjanaçarman and many other treatises of late date. Of much earlier date are two treatises on cubomancy under the style of *Pāçakakevalī* preserved as parts iv and v of the Bower manuscript² in bad Sanskrit with many signs of Prācritic influence; later tracts are known, ascribed to Garga,³ which show knowledge of the term Horā, and therefore postulate the period of Greek influence.
c35.s9.6
³ Bhandarkar, *Report, 1887-91*, pp. lxxxii ff. Cf. IHQ. iii. 186-9.
c35.s9.7
⁴ J. von Negelein, *Der Traumschlüssel des Jagaddeva* (1912); cf. WZKM. xxvi. 403 ff.
c35.s9.8
⁵ Eggeling, IOC. i. 1110 ff. For Jagajjyotirmalla's comm. (1614) see Haraprasād, *Nepal Catal.*, p. lxiii. Cf. Keith, IOC. ii. 836 ff.
c35.s9.9
¹ *Ibid.*, i. 1121 ff.
c35.s9.10
² Hoernle, *Bower MS.*, pp. 84 ff
c35.s9.11
³ J. E. Schröter, *Pāśakakevalī* (1900); Weber, *Ind. Streif.*, i. 274 ff. For astrology in general see also *Madras Catal.*, xxiv (1918).
Linked texts (8)
- Adbhutasāgara — Ballālasena & Lakṣmaṇasena, Sanskrit
- Narapatijayacaryā — Narapati, Sanskrit
- Bṛhajjātaka — Varāhamihira, Sanskrit
- Jyotirvidābharaṇa — Kālidāsa 1500, Sanskrit
- Tājika
- Svapnacintāmaṇi — Jagaddēva, Sanskrit
- Ramalarahasya — Bhayabhañjana Śarman 1675, Sanskrit
- Vidyāmādhavīya — Vidyāmādhava, Sanskrit