Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c13.s2.79

v2.c13.s2.79

MAHĀRĀJA BALLĀLSEN, the king of Mithilā maṇḍal, compiled this work. Ballālsen ascended the throne in Śaka 1082 and it is stated in the work that it was written by him in Śaka 1090. The author has not seen if it contains any subject other than those in Varāha Samhitā. However, Sudhākara writes that the work is worth seeing. The chapters in it are called āvarta’. It is stated in the chapter on eclipse that “if a hole is seen in the disc of the sun, without there being a transit of Venus or Mercury, it forebodes an attack by foreigners”. It shows that the “Piercing of the sun by Mercury and Venus” was known to them : and the appearance of holes in the sun’s disc in the absence of this phenomenon is nothing but the appearance of sun spots. The author of the text remarks, “I have properly noted the occurrence of ayanāmśas, (and I have determined the ayanāmśa from them)”. This indicates his love of research. The work mentions a number of other works and writers, such as VASANTA RĀJA and PRABHĀKARA among authors and Vaṭakanikā, Viṣṇu Dharmottara and Bhāgvata among the works.