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A History of the Kerala School of Hindu Astronomy (in Perspective) c7.s8: 9. Dṛk system of astronomy

A History of the Kerala School of Hindu Astronomy (in Perspective) c7.s8

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9. Dṛk system of astronomy

c7.s8.1

The *Dṛk* system promulgated by Parameśvara of Vaṭaśreṇi (c. 1360-1455), through his *Dṛggaṇita*,³ is, as pointed out above (§2), a revision of the *Parahita* system and was composed with a view to make the results of computation accord with observation. While no new methodology is enunciated here, new multipliers and divisors are given for the derivation of the Kali days and for the calculation of the Mean positions of planets. Minute corrections are given

c7.s8.2

³ Ker. Ast. 2

c7.s8.3

1. The verse giving this correction reads as follows:
‘*vagbhavo*’ (444) *nac chakābdāt dhana-śata-laya-hān manda-vailakṣya-rāgair*
*āptābhir liptābhir virahitanavaś candra-tattuṅga-pātaḥ |*
*śobhā-nirudha-saṃvid-gaṇaka-nara-hatan māgar-āptaḥ kujādyāḥ*
*samyuktā jñāra-saurā virahitanukau jīvaśukrau, na bhānoḥ ||*

c7.s8.4

for these positions after long periods of time. Revised values are given for the positions of planets at zero Kali. Also, the values of the sines of arc of Anomaly (*Manda-jyā*) and of Commutation (*Śīghra-jyā*) are revised and given for intervals of 6 degrees.¹

c7.s8.5

¹ On Parameśvara and the *Dṛk* system in general, see Intro. to *Dṛggaṇita*, *op. cit.*, pp. x-xiii. See also, K.V. Sarma, ‘Parameśvara’s *Dṛggaṇita*’, *Mathrubhumi* (Kozhikode), Aug. 28, 1960, pp. 19-21.

c7.s8.6

As in the case of the *Parahita* system, a large number of manuals have come to be composed following the *Dṛk* system, both in Sanskrit and in Malayalam. The results obtained through this system being more accurate, this system was used for horoscopy (*jātaka*), astrological query (*praśna*) and the computation of eclipses (*grahaṇa*), while the *Parahita* continued to be used for fixing auspicious times for rituals and ceremonies (*muhūrta*). In order to cater to both the purposes, some of the later manuals have dealt with both the *Dṛk* and *Parahita* systems.

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