Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t82: Dinakara

Bhāratīya Jyotiḥśāstra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t82

Language
English

Dinakara

v2.c12.s2.t82.1

BRIEF ACCOUNT

v2.c12.s2.t82.2

A numbsr of works compiled by Dinakara and copied out by Mādhavarāo Peṇḍse of Poona, are in the Ānandāśrama, Poona. In an example in one of the books, the palabhā taken is 4 and the longitude is 28 yojanas west. These are the corrdinates for Poona. From this, Dinakara appears to have been a resident of Poona. According to the description given in his commentary on the Yantra-Cintāmaṇi, the name of Dinakarara's father was Ananta and his gotra was Śāṇḍilya.

v2.c12.s2.t82.3

*Parākhya is the duration of the unexpired part of tithi, yoga or naksatra at sunrise.

v2.c12.s2.t82.4

All his works on astronomy have been compiled with a view to simplifying planetary calculations to be made according to the Grahalāghava. They consist mostly of tables, and are very useful for study, because solved examples have been given in them. The works are :—(1) Graha Vijñāna Sāraṇī : This contains tables useful for calculating mean and true places of planets. The Śaka years used in the examples are 1734, 39, and 44. (2) Māsa-praveśa-sāraṇī hows how to compute the true daily position of the sun, for the sake of finding the moments of the commencement of a new day, a new month, and a new year of life, according to Tājaka system. The solved example has adopted 1744 as the Śaka year, 4 as the palabhā, and 28 W. Yojana s as the longitude. (3) Lagna Sāraṇī : tables for finding ascendants. (4) Krāntisāraṇī : tables for finding the declination. Śaka year 1753 has been selected for the example. (5) Candodayāṅkajāla : Śaka year 1757 adopted in the example (6) Drikkarma Sāraṇī : Śaka year 1758 taken for the example. (7) Grahaṇāṅkajāla : The example has adopted Śaka 1755—1761 as the years (8) A commentary on the Pātasāraṇī (Tables for the calculation of Mahapāta) by Gaṇeśa Daivajña, Śaka 1444. The example adopts Śaka 1761 as the year. (9) Yantra Cintāmaṇi-Ṭīkā : This is a commentary on the work on instruments by Cakradhara.

v2.c12.s2.t82.5

Dinakara was an ingenious astronomer and his works show that he had a good knowledge of observations.

v2.c12.s2.t82.6

GRAHALĀGHAVA METHODS SIMPLIFIED

v2.c12.s2.t82.7

A number of astronomers possess tables like those prepared by Dinakara that are useful in making any calculation by the Grahalāghava methods and especially for finding the mean and true places of planets. The calculation which normally takes 2 to 2½ hours if done according to the method described in the Grahalāghava verses, can be finished in nearly half an hour with the aid of such tables. VĀMAN KRṢṆA Jośī, Kannaḍkar, published in Śaka 1803 a work, entitled, “ Bṛhat-Pañcāṅg-Sādhanodāharaṇa ” which contains such tables. The printed version of ‘Keśavi (collected works of Keśava, the father of Gaṇeśa Daivajña) contain similar tables. Nevertheless astronomers are found as do not have any idea of such devices and short cuts and are consequently required to follow the laborious method of calculation.

Cites (3)