﻿OF THE HINDUS. 233 



1* contained in a Yug is 1577917828*. The number 

 * f of Nucshatra day s 1 5 8 2 2 3 7 8 2 8 -j* ; of Chandra days 

 " 1603000080 ;of Adhl months 1593336 ; of Cshaya 

 " Tit Ins 2^082252 ; of -SWra months 51840000. 

 ** From either of the planets Nacshatra days deduct 



^ li_12iZli 8 = 365. 15. 31. 31. 24. diurnal revolutions of the 

 4320000 Sun, the length of the Hindu year. 



I i_ili2li. 8 -- 365, 15. 31. 31. 24. diurnal revolutions of the 

 T 43^°uo stars in one year. 



lH2H2l2l = 27. 19. 18. 1. 37. &c. the Moon's periodical 

 577S333 6 month. The 1603000080 Chandra, or lunar days, 

 called also Tit'bis, are each one-thirtieth part of the moon's sy- 

 nodical month or relative period, and vary in length according to 

 the inequality of her motion from the sun. The Csbaya Tit'his 

 and Adbi, or intercalary lunar months, are sufficiently evident. 



The sun and planets preside alternately over the days of the 

 week, which are named accordingly. The first day after the 

 creation was Ravivar, or Sunday : k began at midnight, under the 

 meridian of Lanca ; and the Ravivar of the Hindus corresponds 

 with our Sunday. The sun and planets in the same manner go- 

 Tern the years : hence they may be said to have weeks ol years. 

 J)anisJ's prophecy is supposed to mean -weeks of years. 



The Hindu cycle of 60, supposed by some to be the Chaldean 

 Sosos, is referred to the planet Jupiter: " one of these years is 

 •' equal to the time in which by the mean motion, he (F~r ibaspati) 

 " advances one degree in his orbit." (Commentary on the Surya 

 Siddbanta.) This cycle is, I believe, wholly applied to astrology. 

 Neither this cycle of 60 nor the Pitri's day are mentioned in thi3 

 part of the Surya Siddhanta, uherc they might be expected to oc- 

 cur. Perhaps on inquiry there may be found some reason for sup- 

 posing them both of a later invention. " The Pitris inhabit be- 

 *' hind Chandra, and their mid-day happens when Chandra is in 

 " conjunction with Surya; and their midnight, when Chandra is in 

 ** opposition to Surya • their morning, or suniise, is at the end 

 " of half the Crishna Pacsha ; and their sunset at the end of half 

 " rhe Sucla Pacsha ; this is declared in the Sacelya Sanbita. Their 

 " names are Agni, Sv:ati, &c. their day and night are therefore 

 together equal to one Chandra month." (Commentary). Hence, 

 it appears, the Hindus have observed that the moon revolves once 

 on her axis in a lunar month, and consequently has the fame side 

 always opposed to the earth. They have also noticed the diffe- 

 rence of her apparent magnitude in the horizon and on the meri- 

 dian, and end ca\our to explain the cause of a phenomenon, Which 

 Europeans as well as themselves are at a logs to account for. 



