प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

252 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
A concrete Instance and its Moral: Under such
circumstances, there was not much scope left for
research and originality in those matters where opinions
were expressed in sacred texts. A concrete case may
be given to illustrate the point. In the infancy of
astronomy, the eclipses were explained by the mytho-
logical stories about Rāhu and Ketu attacking and
temporarily overpowering the moon and the sun. It
was an evil day for the advance of astronomy when
this mythological version got a canonical sanction by
its inclusion in the Purāṇas. Hindu astronomers like
Āryabhaṭa, Brahmagupta, Varāhamihira and Bhāskarā-
chārya knew the true causes of eclipses, but felt powerless
to carry vigorous propaganda to explode their popular
and mythological explanation canonised by the Purāṇas.
Nay, Brahmagupta, with a view to win cheap
popularity, went to the extent of advocating that the
popular view was correct, when he knew full well
that such was not the case. In Chapter I of his
Brahma-siddhānta, he gives both the popular and
scientific theories about the eclipses, but advocates
the cause of the former. "Some people think that the
eclipse is not caused by the Head (of Rāhu or Ketu).
This, however, is a foolish idea. The Veda, which
is the word of God from the mouth of Brahman, says
that the Head eclipses, likewise Manusmṛiti and Garga-
saṁhitā".¹ What is, however, most lamentable is that
Brahmagupta, who knew full well the real cause of
eclipses, should have proceeded to condemn Āryabhaṭa,
Varāhamihira, Śrīsheṇa and Vishṇuchandra for
expounding the unorthodox but scientific theory that
eclipses are caused by the shadow of the earth. It
is important to note that Brahmagupta becomes guilty
of intellectual and moral dishonesty because he was

1. As quoted by Alberuni, Vol. II, pp. 110-1. The original work
   has been lost.