490 ON THE VE'DAS, 



that the cycle fYiiga) there employed, is a period 

 of five years only. The month is lunar; but at 

 the end, and in the middle, of the quinquennial 

 period, an intercalation is admitted, by doubling 

 one month. Accordingly, the cycle comprises 

 three common lunar years, and two, which con- 

 tain thirteen lunations each. The year is divided 

 into six seasons; and each month into half months. 

 A complete lunation is measured by thirty lunar 

 days ; some one of which must of course, in al- 

 ternate months, be sunk, to make the dates agree 

 with the nycthemera. For this purpose, the sixty- 

 second day appears to be deducted * ; and thus the 

 cycle of five years consists of 1 860 lunar days, or 

 1 830 nycthemera ; subject to a further correction, 

 for the excess of nearly four days above the true 

 sidereal year ; but the exact quantity of this cor- 

 rection, and the method of making it, according 

 to this calendar, have not yet been sufficiently 

 investigated to be here stated. The zodiac is 

 divided into twenty-seven asterisms, or signs, the 

 first of which, both in the Jyotish and in the Vi- 

 das, is Crittica, or the Pleiads. The place of the 

 colurcs, according to these astronomical treatises^ 

 will be forthwith mentioned ; but none of them 

 hint at a motion of the equinoxes. The measure 

 of a day by thirty hours, and that of an hour by 

 sixty minutes, are explained ; and the method of 

 constructing a clepsydra is taught 



This ancient Hindu calendar, corresponding, in 

 its divisions of time, and in the assigned origin of 



* The Athenian year was regulated in a similar manner : biit, 

 accorditig to Geminus, it was the sfxly-tbird day, wliirb vas 

 deducted. Perhaps this Hindu caif^ndar may asiist in €\i>ldining 

 the Grecian system of lunar mouths. 



