Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t3: The group of five ancient Siddhāntas

Bhāratīya Jyotiḥśāstra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t3

Language: English

The group of five ancient Siddhāntas

v2.c12.s2.t3.1

The following are the Siddhāntas mentioned by Varāhamihira :—

v2.c12.s2.t3.2

पौलिशरोमकवसिष्ठसौरपैतामहास्तु पंचसिद्धांताः ।।

v2.c12.s2.t3.3

Pauliśa, Romaka, Vasiṣṭha, Saura and Paitāmaha are the five Siddhāntas.

The elements described by the Pañcasiddhāntikā show that the Siddhāntas were different from the five modern Siddhāntas. Not only are these not available at present, but even the original work, entitled Pañcasiddhāntikā is not available and so, not much is known to any one on this side. Two copies of the work brought from Kashmir by Dr. Buhler are preserved in the Government collection of Manuscripts in the Deccan College (See Reg. No. 37 of 1874-75 and No. 338 of 1879-80) ; but these are very incorrect and incomplete and one is unable to find, at places, where one āryā (couplet) ends and the next one begins. The author has written out for himself a copy from the two versions, and calculations made therefrom have shown that the Sūrya and other Siddhāntas described in it, are different from the modern ones, in that they differ in the length of the year and the motions of planets. The astronomical works compiled during the last 800 years do not show that any one knew that there existed before a Sūrya-Siddhānta different from the modern one. He came to know of their existence in 1887 and no doubt reed be entertained about it, since this can be proved by calculations and by other evidence. The booklet of the Pañcasiddhāntikā is very incorrect and the major portion of it is unintelligible for want of a commentary ; however mary important points have been understood.. *The author would, therefore, describe briefly the five Siddhāntas in the order of the dates of their compilation as found by him.

v2.c12.s2.t3.5

∗ *Dr. Thibaut published in 1889 A.D. the Pañcasiddhāntikā based on the Deccan College versions. It also gives a new commentary by Sudhākara Dvivedī. The author could not find time to read the whole of it uptil now. However all the important information which he could glean from the Pañcasiddhāntikā has already been given above.

v2.c12.s2.t3.6

Varāhamihira, in the very first chapter of Pañcasiddhāntikā, observes as follows ;—

v2.c12.s2.t3.7

पौलिशाति* विस्फुटसौ तस्यासन्नस्तु रोमक: ।।
स्पष्टतर: सावित्र: परिशेषौ दूरविभ्रष्टौ ।। ४ ।।

v2.c12.s2.t3.8

“The Siddhānta made by Pauliśa is accurate ; near to it stands the Siddhānta by Romaka ; more accurate still is the Sāvitra (Saura). The two remaining ones are far from truth.”

v2.c12.s2.t3.9

This shows that the Pauliśa Siddhānta was very clear at the time of the compilation of Pañcasiddhāntikā, which means that its calculations very much agreed with the actual observed positions. The Romaka was nearer to it in correctness. The Sūrya-Siddhānta was better than both and the remaining two (Vasiṣṭha and Pitāmaha) were far removed from correctness meaning that their calculations did not agree with the observed results. The Pitāmaha Siddhānta and Vasiṣṭha Siddhānta must have been the oldest of the five, and of the these two, in the author’s opinion, Pitāmaha Siddhānta must have been the more ancient. The reasons for this will be given later on. Let us now consider the Pitāmaha Siddhānta.

Cites (1)

Pañcasiddhāntikā — Varāhamihira, Sanskrit