Page 38 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

CHAPTER III
THE K~ITTIKAS

Nak,hatras in old Vedic times generally mean asterisms and not
zodiacal portions-The present and the older position of the solstices
-In 1ater works-In Vedlnga Jyotitha-An objection against its anti-
quity examined-Passages in the Taittirlya SaJ!lhitl and BrlhmaJ.Ul-
The Krittikls head the Natkhatras-Deva and Yam a Nak~hatras-Their
real meaning-Taittirlya Satphitl vii: 4· 8. discussed-Jaimini's a~d
Shabara~s interpretation of the same-Conclusions deducible therefrom
-Winter solstice in Mlgha-Vernal equinox in the Krittikls-The age
of the SaJ!lhiti-25~0 B. C. -Bentley's arguments and views criticised.

We have seen th~.'. the ancient Aryas originally commenced
their year, which was lun -solar and sidereal, with the vernal
equinox and that when the beg:nning was changed to. the winter
solstice both the recko11ings were kept up, the one for sacrificial
and the other for civil purposes. Let us now examine if there is
any reliable evidence to show that the Vedic priests made any
corrections in the calendar when by the precession of the equk
noxes the cycle of seasons gradually feU back. All our present
calendars are prepared. on the supposition that the vernal equinox
still coincides with the end of Revatt and our enumeration of
the N ak~hatras begins with Ashvini, though the equinox has now
receded about 18 o from RevaH. It has been. shown by Prof. Whitney
( Surya SiddhAnta, viii, 9 note, p. 221 ) that the above position of the
vernal equinox may be assumed to be true at about 490 A. D.
Taking this as the probable date of the introduction of the present
system, we have now to see if we can trace back the position of the
vernal equinox amongst the fixed circle of stars. The question,
so far, as one antecedent stage is concerned, bas been thoroughly
dis.cussed by Colebrooke, Bently, Max Mti.ller, Weber, Whitney,
Biot, and other scholars; and I shall, therefore, only summarise
what they have said, noting the points where I differ from them.
I do not propose to enter into any detailed mathematical calcula-
tions at this. stage of the inquiry, for I am of opinion that until
we have thoroughly examined and discussed all the passage_s in
the Vedic works bearing on thiS question, and settleti and arranged
our facts, if is useless to go into minute numerical calculations