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

I.16 I. INTRODUCTION OF THE WORK 15
Now we proceed to examine the kṣepas used in the formula. At the time of Epoch, the Vāsiṣṭha
mean Moon is 11ʳ 25° 6′ (vide II.3). As done before, we assume this for the Pauliśa also. The Pauliśa
mean (‘mean’ here is the assumed mean) Sun is 11ʳ 29° 44′ (vide III.1). From these we can see that
the mean new moon will occur after 23 nāḍikās. From the kṣepa for elided day given, 444, we can
see that the end of the Amāvāsyā occurs, before the beginning of the next day by 444 × 59/703 =
37 nāḍikās, i.e. 23 nāḍikās after the Epoch, and thus there is agreement. (This shows that the reading
‘trikṛtadināny avamasaṅkṣepaḥ’ is correct).
We shall examine the kṣepa for the intercalary month. The kṣepa given is 698. Dividing by the
given divisor, 9761, we see that at the time of Epoch there is a fraction of 698/9761 intercalary
month left. As the fraction of intercalary month is the interval from new moon to the next ending
moment of the solar month, we get that 698/9761 synodic month = 2 days and 6½ nāḍikās after
new moon, the Sun enters the next rāśi, here Meṣa. We have seen that the mean new moon itself
falls 23 nāḍikās after Epoch. Therefore we get that the Sun enters Meṣa 2 days 6½ nāḍikās + 23
nāḍikās = 2 days 29½ nāḍikās after Epoch. The proper mean Sun computed for Epoch is 11ʳ 27°
33′ (vide III. 1-3), i.e. after traversing 2° 27′, i.e. after 2 days 29½ nāḍikās, the Sun will enter Meṣa.
This is the same as what we have computed from the kṣepa 698, and thus it is verified.
Perhaps the reader has noted here that in the verification of the kṣepa for elided day we have used
the assumed mean Sun (written ‘mean’ Sun) at Epoch and of the kṣepa for intercalary month, the
proper-mean-Sun at Epoch. Is it proper, he may ask? Logically it is not. But, after all, what we want
is to get the Days from Epoch correctly. If, by this shift, the rule is simplified, without sacrificing
accuracy, then there is no harm in having recourse to it, thinks the author. We have already said
that the mean Sun and Moon can alone be taken in framing the rule here. What we have called
above, the ‘proper-mean’ is really the mean and so that part is all right. If here the assumed mean
Sun is used, which is practically the true Sun at Epoch, an intercalary Vaiśākha will be falling
immediately which will necessitate giving a kṣepa almost equal to the divisor 9761 and cause a lot of
trouble. So the author has done what is only proper here. Then why not use the mean Sun to get
the elided day kṣepa also? The Pauliśa, in giving its peculiar method, has assumed the beginning of
the true Solar year as that of the mean Solar year, so that the true Sun at that point is assumed as
the mean Sun. Our author has taken it as it is given and computed the kṣepa for the elided day
accordingly, for, as we have already said, there must be the check by comparing the weekday and
that will take care of everything. Or, some astronomer, unaware of the illogicality, has handled the
kṣepa. While TS omit to translate the verses 11-13, merely stating that the details are obscure (Tr.
p.5), NP change several ms. readings, daśamāṃsa to daśāṃsa, pañcakṛtadvisammitāḥ to pañcatanudvid-
vimitāḥ, ekīkartum to eka ṛtu, without getting anywhere near the correct sense.
[सौर-रोमकयोः रवि-चन्द्रयुगम्]
वर्षायुते ‘धृति’घ्ने ‘नववसुगुणरसरसाः’ स्युरधिमासाः |
सावित्रे ‘शरनवखेन्द्रियार्णवाशाः’ तिथिप्रलयाः || १४ ||
रोमकयुगमर्कैन्द्वोर्वर्षाण्या‘काशपञ्चवसुपक्षाः’ |
‘खेन्द्रियदिशो’ऽधिमासाः ‘स्वरकृतविषयाष्टयः’ प्रलयाः || १५ ||
युगवर्षमासपिण्डं रविमानं साधिमासकं चान्द्रम् |
अवमविहीनं सावनमैन्दवमब्दान्वितं त्वाक्षम् || १६ ||