﻿OF THE HINDUS. 245 



gitude of the planets themselves ; but for the posi- 

 tion of their apsides and nodes, the elapsed time since 



j the creation must be used ; or at least in instances, as 



of the sun, when the numbers 387 and -432,000000 



'are incommensurable but by unity. 1 have however 



in the accompanying computation, taken the latter 



* period in both cases* 



For the equation of the mean to the true anomaly, 

 in which the solution of triangles is concerned, and 

 which is next to be considered, the Hindus make use 

 of a canon of sines, constructed according to the 

 Siuya Siddhanta, in the following manner: — " Divide 

 " the number of minutes contained in one sine 1800 

 " by eigfcit, the quotient 225 is the first Jyapinda, or 

 " the first of the twenty-fourth portions of half the 

 " string of the bow. Divide the first Jyap'mda by 

 " 225, the quotient 1 deduct from the dividend, 

 " and the remainder 224 add to the first for the 'se- 

 " cond Jyap'mda 449. Divide the second Jyap'mda 

 i: by 225, the quotient being 1, and the fraction 

 " more' than half a minute, deduct 2 from the fore- 

 " going remainder 224, and add the remainder 

 " so found to the second for the third Jyap'mda 67 r* 

 " Divide this by 225, the quotient 3 deduct from 

 * <e the last remainder 222 t, the remainder so found 

 " 219, add to the third for the fourth Jyapinda 890* 

 ** Divide this by 225, and the quotient deduct frorri 

 " the last remainder; the remainder^so found add 

 " to the fourth for the fifth Jyap'mda 1105, and 

 *' proceed in this manner until the twenty-four Cra- 



that the Brahmans compute eclipses by set forms, couched in enigma.' 

 tical verses, out of which it would be difficult to develop their svs- 



Sonncra*. Tne Jyotisb Pandits in general, it is true, know little 



tem or" astronomy ; and this I apprehend was the case with Mons* 



rr.it. The 

 more irf astronomy than they lenrn from sucft bpdks, and they 

 are consequently very ignorant of the pynciples of the science; 

 but there are some to be met with who are better injermed. 



« R 2 



f». 



