84 ESSAY OK 



I requested an able astronomer to give nie, in 

 writing, an account of this wonderful revolution. 

 This period, says he, is not obvious to the sight ; 

 but it does, however, really exist, being mentioi^ed in 

 old Sditras, and by holy Alums; and certainly the 

 seven y^Mw preside in every Lunar mansion, for a 

 hundred years ; and their presence, or rather influ- 

 ence, over it, is sufficiently obvious : and, according 

 to Sa'calya mum, their yearly motion is of eight 

 liptas, or minutes. 



In the Varahl-sanhita^ the VisJinic-Punma, and also* 

 in the Bhagavata, I believe, it is declared, that, at 

 the birth of Pauicshita, the seven Rl^/ils had bceiv 

 in Mtighil for four ycarsy or4i;0J years ago; and they 

 were in Purvashard in the time of Nan da. 



But in the Brahma-SidcVhdnta, it is declared, that 

 they were then in \Sravafia, which makes a difference 

 of fifteen Lunar mansions, or 1500 years; so that, 

 according to that author, the Caii-yugd began 'ZA05 

 years ago, or }600 years B. C. supposing the seven 

 Rishis to be now in 'Sicaiicd, in which they are to re- 

 main ten years more ; but, if they are in Amtrddlid^ 

 the Cal-yugd began 1400 years B. C. The author 

 of the Ganxa-Sanhita, accordiuu* to Bhattotpa'la 

 in his commentary, seems to be of that o|nnion, when 

 lie says, that the seven lliahis were in Dlaglid, in the 

 twilight between the Dxcupar and the Calij/uga. In 

 the LaUoct/urhi-vriddlii, it is declared, that they were 

 then in Jb/iijit, or in the Urst oi"Srava?ia. 



The names of the seven J\ishh\ shining in the 

 wain, are Fuld/ia, or the star « ; Cratu,^; Jtri.y ; 

 Fidasti/a,^; Angiras,*; Vcmsht'ha.K ; and, close to 

 it is a small star, representing Arundatl his wife; 

 the seventh is yl/rtWc/zi, or ^. ]\Iy friends insist that 

 their motion is peiceptible ; and they shewed them 

 plainly to me in Sxcdticd. Of this they wanted to 

 convince me,, by drawing a line, from that mansioix 



