Page 41 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

28 SAMAGRA TILAK - 2 • THE ORION

two positions of the solstices is the correct one, whether the older
position of the solstices or that given by the writer.• It is clear,
therefore, that in the days of VarAbamihira, there existed works.
which placed the winter solstice in the beginning of (divisional)
"
Dhani~h~M and the summer solstice in the middle of Ashle~hA.
This statement of Vadhamihira is fully corroborated by quota-
tions from Garga t and ParAshara which we meet with in the works
of the later commentators; and it appears that the system of
commencing the year with the month of Magha, which corres-
ponds with the above position of the solstices, was once actually
in vogue. Amarasinha states that the seasons comprise two months
each, beginning with MAgha, and three such seasons make an
ayana.;l: The same arrangement of seasons is also mentioned in
the medical works of Shushruta and VAgbhata.§ The account of
the death of Bhishma, related in the MahAbharata AnusbAsarla-
parva 167, further shows that the old warrior, who possessed the
superhwnan power of choosing his time of death, was waiting
on his death-bed for the return of the sun towards the north from
the winter solstice and that this auspicious event took place in
the first half of the month of MAgha. ~ It is evident from this that

• Thus:-
<lll'~i~~U15'(1(4jCjij (~~ I
~ ifiiU~ \~~II
eistMCl.; ~: ~ ~~II
~ fctffir: sr~: 11
t Garga, quoted by SomAkara on Ved. Jy. 5 says :-
~ ~ ~ stfflq'9;'(1(j(jUI<( I
~ ~f.tsrf1{: ~~a-: 11
'Bhattotpala on BriQ..at. SaJ!t. iii. 1, quotes Garga as follows-
~~8iCIINlbUIJ~ :;mr: ~~:I
t Amara i. 4· J 3 if it il"llill~lel ~~~g~<4ii ~: I
§ See Shushruta i. 6, and Vlgbha~a's ..Athtlngabri.daya Sutr11osthana
iii, 2: both of which are quoted further on in Chap. IV.
, Mab. Anu. I6i, 26 and 28 :-
~ ft lFRi"Ethlit&~'ll'li\: II, H ll
. " . . . . . . . . . . .
~s~ ~: ilm: 6fRn ~ i .
~:~s~ ·-o1~11'~'n·