228 



HINDU ASTRONOMERS 



the weft, until revived and demonstrated in comparatively modern 



times.* 



Brahmegupta is more fortunate in his rcafoning where he refutes 

 another theory of the alternation of day and night imagined by the 

 Jainas, who account for the diurnal change by the pafiage of two 

 funs, and as many moons, and a double fet of ftars and minor planets, 

 round a pyramidical mountain^ at the foot of which is this habitable 

 earth. His confutation of that abfurdity is copied by Bha'scara, who 

 has added to it from Pr it'hu'daca's glofs on a different pafiage of 

 Brahmegupta, a refutation of another notion afcribed by him to the 

 fame feci, refpe£ting the tranflation of the earth in fpacc. 



This idea has no other origin than the notion, that the earth, being 

 heavy and without fupport, muft perpetually defcend: and has there* 

 fore no relation whatever to the modern opinion of a proper motion 

 ©f the fun and Mars, 



Part of the pafiage of Bha'scara has been quoted in a former 

 effay.t What regards the further fubject now noticed, is here f'ufo- 



tec. 



)Ower 9 without other fupport 



s If there be a material 



of that, and again another of this $ a 



and another upholder 

 :re is no limit. If 



• For an outline of A'aTABHAfW* f^ftesa of afirononay, fee a matt &t the clofc of this effejv 

 i As Ref. Vol. 9. p. 322,, 





