2 ADDITIONS. 



astronomy, as Puli's'a was of another; both of which'are noticed by Brahmegupta 

 with their distinctive appellations, but because he is the earliest Hindu writer 

 known to have treated of Algebra. I shall resume the inquiry in another place. 



I shall here only observe, that Brahmegupta is placed by the Astronomers of 

 Ujjayani in 550 Saca (A. D. 628); and that Aryabhatta is considerably more 

 ancient. Munja'la, so frequently mentioned for the doctrine maintained by him 

 concerning the revolution of the equinoxes,* is stated by the Astronomers of 

 Ujjayani, to have written in the year 854 of the Saca era (A. D. <J3Q), as Brahme- 

 gupta is in 550 Saca. These dates are furnished in a list of astronomical authorities, 

 which was communicated to the late Dr. William Hunter by Hindu Astrono- 

 mers, who assisted his studies, when he was residing at that ancient seat of Hindu 

 astronomy. It appears deserving of some confidence, as several of the dates which 

 it contains, particularly those of Biioja-ra'j and Bha'scara, have been verified. 

 The rest, it may fairly be presumed, are likely to be equally correct; and Vishnu 

 Chandra, being anterior to Brahmegupta, must have preceded Munja'la by 

 more than three centuries, as the latter did Bha'scara by more than two. It is not 

 the only Instance, among the Hindu astronomers, where the older author has made 

 a nearer approach to the truth, than his successor. 



When the conclusion of the note at page 250 was written, a quotation from 

 Aryabhatta in Muni's'wara's commentary on Bha'scara was overlooked. It 

 is the beginning of a passage in the abridgment of Aryabhatta, specifying the 

 revolutions of the planets. The quotation unfortunately stops after those of the 

 moon ; which are 57753334000, answering to 4320000000 of the sun. His numbers 

 then come between those of the Suryasiddlianta and Brahmegupta, in the instances 

 which admit of comparison : and the diurnal motions, concluded from them, differ 

 from theirs but at fourth minutes, 



_^/* See page 210. 



