ON THE EQUINOXES. 241 



This paflage ©f the S'irdmarii* confirms what was faid by me, from 

 other authority, in a former effay, f concerning the Hindu method of 

 determining a ftar's place with reference to the ediptick, by the in- 

 inierfeclion of a circle of declination, and by taking the latitude and 

 longitude of the liar to that point of interfeftion, instead of employing 

 a perpendicular to the ecliptick. 



The only other pafTage, to which I fhall draw the reader's attesation 5 

 is one of confiderable length, in which Brahmegupta, although he 

 have rightly given the theory of Solar and Lunar Eclipfes, with the af= 

 tronomicai principles on which they are to be computed, affirms in 

 compliance with the prejudices of Hindu bigots, the exiftence of Rdhu 

 as an eighth planet and as the immediate caufe of eclipfes 9 and repre- 

 hends Varahamihira, Arya.jbhatVaj SrishIsna, and Vi shm'u Chan- 

 dra for rejecting this orthodox explanation of the phenomenon, The 

 paffage is quoted by Bhascara's commentator in the Chintdmani s on 

 the occafion of a more concife text of the S'ir&maM affirming the 

 - agency of Rahu in eclipfes. J 



.This quotation from the Brahme-fidd'haniq, comprising feven cosi- 

 plctsinthe Chintdmaiii, has been verified in the text of the i^A^^to^- 

 Jidd'hdnta of Brahmegupta. § 



1 Aj. Ret. vol. 9. 



J Tart. a. ch. 7. t, 10. 



1 - 





