गुप्त अभिलेख संग्रह (जे. एफ. फ्लीट - गुप्त सम्राटों एवं परवर्ती नरेशों के ऐतिहासिक पाषाण व ताम्रलेख)

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS APPENDIX II 145
APPENDIX II.
A Method of Calculating the Week-Days of Hindu Tithis and the
corresponding English Dates.
By Shankar Balkrishna Dikshit; Bombay Educational Department.
In this paper I purpose to exhibit, according to the system laid down by the
late Professor Kero Lakshman Chhatre in his book entitled Graha-sâdhanâchîm
Kôshṭakêm, or "Tables for Calculating the Places of the Planets," the correct method by
which we may determine, for any given Hindu tithi or lunar day, the corresponding vâra
or week-day, and the equivalent English date according to either the Julian or the
Gregorian Calendar.
Before detailing, however, the steps of the process, I will explain the principal
technical terms which will be used, and which, for the sake of brevity and conciseness, will
be retained in their original Sanskrit forms.¹
Explanation of Technical Terms.
The abdapa, lit. 'lord of a year,' of any particular year, is the conventional term, —
in Prof. K. L. Chhatre's book, and others; but not universally, — for the time of the
Mêsha-Saṁkrânti, or 'entrance of the Sun into Aries, in that year. The abdapa
adopted by Prof. K. L. Chhatre is the time of the spashṭa or 'apparent,' — lit. 'clearly
perceived, distinctly visible,'² — Mêsha-Saṁkrânti, as ascertained by the method given in
the Sûrya-Siddhânta;³ whereas, in other Hindu works of the same kind, the term abdapa
¹ Most of these explanations are my own. Either to reduce the bulk of his book, or for some
other reason, Prof. K. L. Chhatre has used the technical terms without explanation, except in the case
of a few of the simpler ones; nor does he explain how he obtained certain figures for certain years
or the variation for a year.
² English astronomers use the word 'apparent' in all cases in which we use spashṭa. 'Apparent,'
therefore, is the proper translation of spashṭa.
³ There are three schools of astronomers in India. One follows the Sûrya-Siddhânta, and is
called Saurapaksha; another follows the Brahma-Siddhânta, and is named Brahmapaksha; while
the third follows the Ârya-Siddhânta, and is called Âryapaksha. The main point on which they
differ is the length of the year; but with differences, between each other, of only a few vipalas (a
vipala is the sixtieth part of a pala). Another point of difference is, that the number of revolutions
of the moon, planets, &c., in a certain period, — for instance in a Mahâyuga, — is generally different in
each of them. Prof. K. L. Chhatre has adopted, from the Sûrya-Siddhânta, only the length of the
year, and its starting-point, that is the Mêsha-Saṁkrânti; in almost every other respect he follows
none of these three authorities, but has based his Tables on European Tables of planets. As to his
Tables relative to tithis, however, in the part of his work called Kâla-sâdhana, see page 149 below,
note 11, and the text above note 1 on page 155.