History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.183

v6.c82.183

745a Vide 'Greek Astronomy' by Heath p 611 and Prof Neugebauer in Journal of Near Eastern Studies, vol IV. p 24. In the Poona Orientalist vol. VIII. pp. 68-80 Mr Raja Rao endeavours to prove that ancient Pravargya legend is based on a knowledge of the precession of the equinoxes. In the first place, too much has to be taken for granted to make that thesis probable and in the 2nd place it would have to be admitted that precession, though known in the Vedic age, was forgotten before the times of Varāhamihira who is apparently not aware of it. Prof. K. V. Abhyankar (in Dhruva commemoration vol III pp 155-164) tries to show that 'precession of the equinoxes' had been discovered in India in ancient times, but his arguments are far-fetched and not at all convincing.