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

IV
composition at a much later date. This pseudo-Kali-
dasa apparently wanted to pass off for the real one and
called himself a contemporary of Varahamihira. Varaha-
mihira's literary acknowledgment to Kalidasa will be
apparent from the following extracts :—
यत्राकृतिस्तत्र गुणा वसन्ति (Brihatsamhita LXX-23)
प्रायः शरीराकारानुवर्तिनो हि गुणा दोषाश्च भवन्ति
(Brihatsamhita II-2)
ते दुर्जना मे मनसो वितर्कः (Brihat Samhita LXXIV-5)
यस्मिन् मनो व्रजति तत्र गतोऽयमात्मा (Brihat Samhita LXXV-3)
योऽयं विचिन्तयति याति स तन्मयत्वम् (Brihat Samhita LXXV-4)
and verses 7 and 8 (The whole chapter is excellent)
मनो हि मूलं हरदग्धमूर्त्तेः (Brihat Samhita LXXVIII-14)
The verses 1 and 2 in Adhyaya LXXIV.
All these lead us to believe in the author's admira-
tion for Kalidasa. The metres employed by him point
to his mastery of poetics and command of language.
He gives various kinds of दण्डक (Dandaka) and आर्या
(Aryas.)
The author is a staunch adherent of scientific princi-
ples in Astrology. Out of respect for the ancient sages
or masters of this science, he quotes their views and then
states his own confirmed decisions in unmistakable terms
(vide III-1, 2, V-1, 17, and IX-6). He belongs to the
group of first-rank scholars in scientific astronomy such
as आर्यभट (Aryabhata) ब्रह्मगुप्त (Brahmagupta) and भास्कर
(Bhaskara). [The last two are posterior to him]. Varaha-
mihira does not claim to be a pioneer in the field of
Samhita. Before him, Parasara, Garga and others had