History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.154

v6.c82.154

⁷³³ एकं द्वे त्रीणि चत्वारीति वा अन्यानि नक्षत्राण्यथैता एव भूयिष्ठा या कृत्तिकास्तद्भू-मानमेवैतदुपैति । तस्मात्कृत्तिकास्वादधीत । एता ह वै प्राच्यै दिशो न च्यवन्ते सर्वाणि ह वा अन्यानि नक्षत्राणि प्राच्यै दिशश्च्यवन्ते । शतपथ II 1. 2. 2-3. It should be noted that the present tense (cyavante) is used here, whence it follows that this passage was composed when the position of the Kṛttikās on the equator was an observed fact and their declination was nil. From this S B Dīkshit deduced the date 3000 B C (I A volume 24 pages 245-257). The कृत्तिकाः are said to be seven in Maitrāyaṇī S I 6.9 and Tai Br III 1 4 1.