1834.] Professor Schlegel's Enigma. 3 



The only difference in the second enumeration quoted by the Professor 

 consists in the substitution of ocean, quality, vas'u, and lunar day, for 

 4, 3, 8 and 15, respectively : of which vasu alone requires explana- 

 tion, being the name of a species of inferior divinities, eight in number. 

 The astronomical pundit of the Sanskrit College has enabled me to 

 publish a catalogue of the principal terms thus numerically employed in 

 the Surya-siddhdnta, the Arya-siddhdnta, the Bhdsvatis, and the other 

 numerous astronomical works of the Hindus. It does not seem neces- 

 sary to offer any explanation, beyond a simple translation of the terms, 

 since in most cases their origin is obvious to such as are acquainted with 

 the metaphysical or mythological systems of the Hindus. The only 

 equivocal expression in the list appears to be ^*f?J, occean, which may 

 either represent four or seven : but it is invariably employed in the former 

 sense in the Surya-Siddhanta and other best authorities. 



The mode of expressing any number greater than nine is, by placing 

 consecutively the term for each figure, beginning with the lowest or 

 right-hand figure, as will readily be understood from the example quoted 

 by Professor Schlegel ; and as there are numerous synonymes of most 

 of the simple terms, which may be selected as they may be the 

 best adapted to the metre of the intended aslok, an infinity of compounds 

 may be thus formed which must be perplexing enough to a student, in 

 addition to all the other difficulties of a science of calculations. For a 

 few compounds, however, as 11, 12, 15, 32, &c. single expressions have 

 been created, founded on the names of Siva, the signs of the zodiac, the 

 days in a half -lunation, the number of human teeth, and other similar 

 analogies, that are easily retained in the memory. 



The following is the list alluded to, omitting most of the synonymes 

 of each word, which would have swelled it to an inconvenient length, 

 o or 0. *sf kha ; vacuity, ^•T 3 fl, ^JT^TT^ &c. space, heaven, zero, cypher. 

 \ or 1. "&&?[ prithvi ; the earth, (and its synonymes *rf%, V, fi &c.) 

 ■^■s^ chandra ; the moon, (^5{*Tr, x*$, f^WTCJ, &c.) 

 •^PT rup ; form, colour, &c. 

 ^, or 2. <T"^ paksh ; a wing, the half of a lunar mouth, 

 •sN ne'tra ; the eye, (^nj«T, ^rf, ^ffw, &c.) 

 vr*1 bhuja ; an arm, (^T^, ^1^, &c.) 

 tjw yam ,- twin, also the deity of Naraha or hell. 

 ^jf%eT ashwina ; the twin sons of Surya. 

 8f^ chhada ; jaw, (the two jaws.) 

 \ or 3. if*^ banhi ; fire, C^lfsr, and its synonymes.) 



X$% Rama, the deity Rama ; (the three are Rama, Balardma, 



and Parasurama.) 

 b 2 



