$30 HINDU ASTRONOMERS 



It has been obferved in a former part of this effaj', that Brahme- 

 GUPta's treatife ofaflronomy is founded on an anterior one entitled 

 Mrdhma-ftdd'hantai and the authenticity of the book extant under 

 Brahmegupta's name has been relied upon, and pafTages have been 

 freely cited from it, as the genuine performance of that ancient aflro« 

 nomer. Thefe matters appear to be of fufhcient importance to de- 

 force a more particular explanation of their grounds. 



The fource, from which Brahmbgupta drew, is indicated by the 

 author himfelf, in his introductory couplet, cited by Lacshmidasa in 

 the commentary on Bhascaraj* 



which, in a literal verfion, will Hand thus ; " The computation of 

 iC planets, as declared by Brahma and become perfect by great leng'h 

 " of time, is perfpicuoufly. (Sphufa) explained by Brahmegupta 

 d Ton of Jishnu." 



The ambiguity imputable to this pafldge is obviated by the more 

 explicit terms of the initial iianza of his nth Chapter, where Br ami* 

 gupta announces a refutation of opinions oppofed to the Brahma* 

 jidd'hanta. 



The Cdnita lat<wa Chintamatti } dated in 1423 Saca> or 1501 A. D 4 



