﻿296 ON THE ANTIQUITY OF 



cas assert, that, when their lunar year was arrange d 

 by former astronomers, the moon was at the full in 

 each month on the very day when it entered the 

 nacshatra, from which that month is denominated. 

 The manner in which the derivatives are formed, will 

 best appear by a comparison of the months with their 

 several constellations : 



Aswina. Chaitra. 



Cartica. 8. Vaisac'ha. 

 Margasirsha. Jyaisht'ha. 



4. Pausha. Ashara. 



Magha. Sravapa. 



Phalguna. 12. Bhadra. 



The third month is also called Agrahayana (whence 

 the common word Agran is corrupted) from another 

 name of Mrigasiras. 



Nothing can be more ingenious than the memorial 

 verses, in which the Hindus have a custom of link- 

 ing together a number of ideas otherwise unconnected, 

 and of chaining, as it were, the memory by a regular 

 measure : thus by putting teeth for thirty-two, Rudra 

 for eleven, season for six, arrow or element for five, 

 ocean, Feda, or age, for four, Rama, fire, or qualify 

 for three, eye, oxCumara for two, and earth ox moon for 

 one, they have composed four lines, which express 

 the number of stars in each of the twenty-seven 

 asterisms : 



Vahni tri ritwishu ganendu critagnibhuta, 

 Banaswinetra sara bhucu yugabdhi rauiab, 

 Rudrabdhiramagunavedasata dwiyugma, 

 Penta budhaiiabbihitah cramaso bhatarah* 



