Abstract
Sarvasiddhāntarāja (1639 CE) is an astronomical treatise composed by Nityānanda. Almost all texts on Indian astronomy provide the coordinates of 27 stars, which are known as junction stars. However, Sarvasiddhāntarāja is one of the rare texts which gives coordinates of 84 stars along with other parameters associated with them. Nityānanda describes this topic in great detail systematically in over 52 verses. In this paper, we provide a critical edition of these verses along with their translation. We have also compiled a list of all star names found in the text along with the parameters associated with them, and presented them in a tabular form.
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Notes
The paper by Montucla was published in Histoire (its Mathematiques (1758), tome i, p. 402). There is another reference: as stated by Burgess (1983), Sir William Jones had treated Montucla’s theory (that Hindu astronomy was chiefly based on Ptolemaic) with contempt.
The second page of the manuscript too is labelled as Siddhāntarāja.
The manuscript reading is
.The string ‘
’ represents the number
. However, the numerals are not found in the manuscript.The term Susukṣma refers to the sixth-order brightness.
\(27^\circ - 5' = 26^\circ 55'\).
.
.
Manuscript reads it as
\((12|45)\). But the actual one is
.
.Manuscript reads it as \(1|18\), instead of \(31|18\).
The term ‘ańgabhāga’ refers to \(\left(\frac{1}{6}\right)^{\rm th}\). Hence, ‘lavāńgabhāga’ is \(\left(\frac{1}{6}\right)^{\rm th}\) of a degree, which is nothing but 10 min or \(0^{\circ } | 10'\).
The reading is
instead of
which represents the number 17.
Numeral
is not so clear in the manuscript.
The co-ordinate should be \(5|15\). But, the manuscript reading is \(5|25\) which is wrong.
The term ghana is used to find the cube of a number. Hence, as per bhūtasaṅkhyā system, it is used to represent the number 3.
The manuscripts reads as
. Here, the number corresponds to the string
is 17.
The reading in the manuscript is
which is erroneous. The actual reading should be
which means shoulder (aṃsa|
) of a man (nṛ|
). Hence,
becomes
(nraṃsaḥ). However, the word
will not fit into the metre of the verse. Therefore, we have modified it as Narāṃsa (Nara + aṃsa) or
as an editorial modification so that it fits into the metre. The meaning of this is same as that of nraṃsa (shoulder of a man).
.
.
Here, ‘
’ refers to the zodiacal sign ‘
’.
.Manuscript reads the numeral as 16|30.
Here, it is to be noted that the magnitude of the brightness of the star Puṣya is not mentioned. However, it is mentioned that it is identified as a cloud-cluster. Here, we have interpreted the term ‘meghapratima’ as the cloud-cluster.
.The term ‘siddha’ is also used to refer ‘jina’, which represents the number 24 as per bhūta-saṅkhyā system.
.The string
represents the number
. But, the manuscript reading is
which is incorrect.
.This means the last quarter of the last degree part of the rāśi. Here, the last part means \(30^\circ \). Hence, the fourth quarter of the last degree refers to \(29^\circ\)45 min.
.
.Manuscript reads the number as
, which is wrong since the string
corresponds to the number
.
.The author is using the word ‘yugmaka’ for the second time to represent the twin star. He explicitly tells that, this star (yugmaka) is entirely different [from the ‘yugmaka’ which has been described earlier].
We see the word for a new constellation here. ‘It is said that these are the three footprints of ‘Trivikrama’. Thus, a constellation Trivikrama can be imagined here. The three pairs correspond to the three foot prints of Trivikrama. This is a new name hitherto unknown in the context of the names of stars. The resemblance to the foot prints is striking.
.
.
.Manuscript reads the number as
.Numeral 12 is missing in the manuscript.
Actual reading in the manuscript is
, where three syllables are missing. Also, the direction of the star Uttarā is not given. The word corresponds to missing syllables should be the one which represents the direction of the star. Since, Uttarā is a junction star (one of the 27 stars), which is mentioned in almost all astronomical texts, it is easy to fix the direction which is the north. Hence, the word which is missing the manuscript should be the one which is used to represent the northern direction. Since, the author has used different synonyms for the same, we thought it would be appropriate to use the string
which fits into the metre. Also, the author has used the same word several times to represent the northern direction.The term ‘vedeṣu’ is two words, veda and iṣu (bāṇa), which represents number 4 and 5, respectively, and not the seventh case (saptamāī vibhakti) of the prātipadika, veda.
Here, in this context, the meaning of the phrase sadāyuvatyāṃ is not clear. We have translated the verse by omitting this phrase as it is not of much relevance.
The string
represents the number
. However, the number is missing in the manuscript.
.The string
represents the number
. Whereas, the manuscript reads it as
.
.
.
.The string
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.
.
.
.
.The string
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.The string
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.The string
represents the number
. But, the manuscript reads it as
.
.
represents the number
. However, it is written as
in the manuscript.The string
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.This is a clear indication that measurements were made with instruments and recorded. This is important particularly in this rāśi since all the stars are quite faint.
.
.
.The string
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.
.Pauṣa.
.
’ represents the number
. However, the numerals are not found in the manuscript.
.
.
.
.
instead of
which represents the number 17.
is not so clear in the manuscript.
. Here, the number corresponds to the string
is 17.
which is erroneous. The actual reading should be
which means shoulder (aṃsa|
) of a man (nṛ|
). Hence,
becomes
(nraṃsaḥ). However, the word
will not fit into the metre of the verse. Therefore, we have modified it as Narāṃsa (Nara + aṃsa) or
as an editorial modification so that it fits into the metre. The meaning of this is same as that of nraṃsa (shoulder of a man).
.
.
’ refers to the zodiacal sign ‘
’.
.
.
.
represents the number
. But, the manuscript reading is
which is incorrect.
.
.
.
, which is wrong since the string
corresponds to the number
.
.
.
.
.
.
, where three syllables are missing. Also, the direction of the star Uttarā is not given. The word corresponds to missing syllables should be the one which represents the direction of the star. Since, Uttarā is a junction star (one of the 27 stars), which is mentioned in almost all astronomical texts, it is easy to fix the direction which is the north. Hence, the word which is missing the manuscript should be the one which is used to represent the northern direction. Since, the author has used different synonyms for the same, we thought it would be appropriate to use the string
which fits into the metre. Also, the author has used the same word several times to represent the northern direction.
represents the number
. However, the number is missing in the manuscript.
.
represents the number
. Whereas, the manuscript reads it as
.
.
.
.
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.
.
.
.
.
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.
represents the number
. But, the manuscript reads it as
.
.
represents the number
. However, it is written as
in the manuscript.
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.
.
.
.
represents the number
. However, this is missing in the manuscript.
.References
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune for providing access to the manuscript of Sarvasiddhāntarāja. The author would like to acknowledge the anonymous referees for valuable suggestions and the editors for considering this aspects of research based on original sources and manuscripts.
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Pai, R.V., Shylaja, B.S. From Nadyantaka to Pauṣṇa: compilation of stars catalogued in Sarvasiddhāntarāja. J Astrophys Astron 42, 113 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12036-021-09736-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12036-021-09736-0