बृहत्संहिता (आचार्य वराहमिहिर - स्थापत्य, खगोल, मौसम व जल विज्ञान)

XI
troduced a chapter by विन्ध्यवासी*. The author has writ-
ten a समाससंहिता which is known to us only from the
quotations of the learned commentator.
The author’s son पृथुयशस् (Prithuyasas) was also a
great astrologer. He has written the षट्पञ्चाशिका and
होरासार as far as we know. The latter is a very
useful work giving many new ideas and has been utilised
by Mantreswara in his Phaladeepika especially in respect
of Ashtaka Varga (vide page 265 of that work).
The present work has the commentary of Bhattat-
pala which is very exhaustive and helpful. It gives
valuable quotations from many ancient authorities and
the other works of the author. At the end of his com-
mentary on the Brihat Jataka, he says that he finished
his commentary on Thursday, the 5th day of the Bright
half of the month of Chaitra in 888 of the Saka era-956
A. D. He has commented upon the योगयात्रा and also the
षट्पञ्चाशिका of पृथुयशस्. His scholarship was deep and
vast. He seems to have written a work भट्टोत्पलहोराशास्त्रम्
in 75 stanzas. He has also written a work-वास्तुविद्या (see
P. 439). He was well acquainted with all the ancient
works on Astrology, Astronomy, Poetics, etc He is
very frank. Where he is ignorant, he openly owns that.
For example, in perfumery, he says his knowledge is very
meagre. He holds our author in the highest esteem.
Scholars all over the world should be grateful to this
commentator for his having preserved by his quotations
*According to one tradition, this is Varahamihira, himself
as he was living in the Vindhyas before he went to the Royal
Court.