पञ्चसिद्धान्तिका (आचार्य वराहमिहिर - सूर्य, रोमक, पौलिश, वासिष्ठ एवं पितामह सिद्धान्त)

Chapter Eighteen 64-81 (A Spurious Supplement)
Computation of the Star-Planets in brief
[पञ्चसिद्धान्तिकायां प्रक्षेपः — ताराग्रहाः]
Spuriousness of this Section
That verses 64-81 of Pāñcasiddhāntikā form only an appendage to a manuscript of the work and
not a composition of Varāhamihira, is evident from its occurring after the work has closed in the
customary way with a concluding colophonic verse, with its metre changed to Vasantatilakā from
the āryā metre in which all the previous verses of the chapter had been couched, and with the author
speaking about himself in this concluding verse. It is also to be noted that the set of verse 64 to 81
begin with a new salutation. Had these verses really belonged to the PS, the customary colophonic
verse must have come at their end, and significantly there is no such colophonic verses at the end.
Further, in verse 65 it is said that the author considers this as a superior set containing a previous
method or matter and that he was giving it out, with a liberal mind, to the generality of astronomers
without hiding it from them. But actually it is inferior stuff, and can give only very rough results
since the equation of the centre is dispensed with, only the equation of conjunction being given,
which makes it valueless. The author boasts here that he has made things easy, and takes credit for
this which only a novice could have done. Fancy VM speaking thus, when in verse 62 he is so intent
on accuracy that he says, "Let people who have been dissatisfied with the inaccuracy of astronomers
like Pradyumna, Vijayanandi etc., have recourse to his treatment of the Saura." Further, there are
mistakes in the computation of Venus and Mercury, unpardonable in any astronomer. (See below,
Note 2 under verses 70-72). The above-mentioned aspects of verses 64-81 have escaped the notice
both of TS and NP, who both take them as genuine compositions of VM. Moreover, NP obliterate
verse 63, the concluding genuine verse of PS, by not including it in their text, though a few words
thereof are present in all the manuscripts of the work and in some of the manuscripts it bears a
serial number; thus, verses 64 to 81 are numbered in NP as 63 to 80.
These spurious verses are dealt with below for the sake of completeness of the text as found in
the parent manuscript of the PS from which all its manuscripts available now have been derived.
[उपक्रमः]
प्रस्तावेऽपि न दोषा [न्] जान (न्न) पि न वक्ति यः परोक्षस्य ।
प्रथयति गु(णां) श्च तस्मै सुजनाय न(मः) परहिताय ॥ ६४ ॥
अष्टादशभिर्बद्धान्त्या ताराग्रहतंत्रमेतदार्याभिः ।
(वरमिति) वराहमिहिरो ददाति निर्मत्सरः करणम् ॥ ६५ ॥
Salutation
64. Salutation to the good people, ever interested in the welfare of others,
who even when knowing the faults of others, and even when there is an
opportunity, do not mention their faults, but proclaim their good qualities.