Jyotihshastra: Astral and Mathematical Literature c6.26

c6.26

In the early fourth century Garga was named as an authority on omens along with Parāśara¹⁹ by Mīnarāja in his Vṛddhayavanajātaka (67, 5). This Parāśara is undoubtedly the one cited by Varāhamihira concerning the motion of Mercury (BS 7, 8); as an authority on comets along with Garga, Asita,²⁰ and Devala²¹ (BS 11, 1); concerning planetary conflicts (BS 17, 3); as an authority, together with Garga, Kāśyapa,²² and Vajra, on the "pregnancy" of clouds (BS 21, 2); as agreeing with Garga and Vasiṣṭha on the extent of the area on which a predicted rain will fall (BS 23, 4); as one of the experts, along with Bṛhaspati,²³ Garga, Kāśyapa, and Maya²⁴ on the Moon's conjunction with Rohiṇī (BS 24, 2); and as addressing his discussion of the characteristics of cows to Bṛhadratha (BS 60, 1). The work of Parāśara on omens is probably the lost prose and verse Parāśaratantra cited frequently by Bhaṭṭotpala in his commentary on the BS. The omen section of Mīnarāja's VYJ comprises adhyāyas 64–71, which are respectively on signs of death, on counter-omens to evil portents, on oneiromancy, on various omens, on the cawing of crows, on the cuckoo laying eggs (*śyāmāceṣṭita*), on the activities of dogs (*śvāceṣṭita*), and on the activities of cows (*goceṣṭita*). Other early authorities on omens mentioned by Varāhamihira, and therefore antedating the middle of the sixth century, include²⁵ Atri²⁶ on *utpātas*, which was used by Garga (BS 45, 1); Ṛṣabha,²⁷ who summarized the views of Śakra (Indra²⁸), Śukra (Bhṛgu), Vāgīśa (Bṛhaspati), Kapiṣṭhala,²⁹ Garutmān,³⁰ Bhāguri,³¹ and Devala on *śakuna* (BS 85, 1); the Mahārājādhirāja of Avanti, Dravyavardhana,³² who was an authority on *śakuna* (BS 85, 43); Bādarāyaṇa³³ on the ripening of grain (BS 39, 1); Bhṛgu³⁴ on *śakuna* (BS 85, 43); Manu³⁵ on water divining (BS 53, 99); and Sārasvata, also on water-divining (BS 53, 99).