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First published February 1973

The Mesopotamian Origin of Early Indian Mathematical Astronomy

David PingreeView all authors and affiliations
Volume 4, Issue 1
https://doi.org/10.1177/002182867300400102
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References

1. This relationship I originally proposed in Isis, liv (1963), 231–3.
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2. Both recensions along with Somākara's commentary were first edited by Weber A., Über den Vedakalender, namens Jyotisham (Berlin, 1862) (the text of one recension had been published at Bombay in 1833); the text of the Yajur-recension along with the non-Yajur verses of the Rk-recension were reprinted by Thibaut G., “Contributions to the Explanation of the Jyotisha-Vedánga”, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, xlvi (1877), 411–37, esp. 413–6; the Rk-recension was reprinted by Modaka J. B. of Thana in 1885; one recension was included in Vedasya sadaṅga (Bombay, 1892); both recensions were edited and commented on by Bārhaspatya (Lāla Chotelāl) in the Hindustan review for 1907 (reprinted Allahabad, 1960) and again, with Somākara's bhāsya, by Dvivedin S. (Benares, 1908). The most recent attempt at an edition and at an understanding of both texts is by Shamasastry R. (Mysore, 1936). The more recent efforts by Kulkarni B. R., The Lagna System of the Vedanga Jyotisha (Dhulia, 1943); by Prasad G., “The Astronomy of the Vedāṅga Jyotisa”, Journal of the Ganganath Jha Research Institute, iv (1946–47), 239–48; and by Chakravarty A. K., “The Working Principle of the Vedāṅga Jyotisa Calendar”, Indian studies past and present, x (1968–69), 31–42, as well as the older work by Tilak B. G., Vedic chronology and Vedanga Jyotisha (Poona, 1925), do not advance our understanding of this text.
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9. Edited, translated, and commented on by Neugebauer O. and Pingree D. (2 vols, Copenhagen, 1970–71).
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11. These works have been printed several times by the Jainas in India; I have used the edition of the first two by Kohl J. F. (Stuttgart, 1937). See also Thibaut G. F., “On the Sūryaprajñapti”, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, xlix (1880), 107–27 and 181–206.
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13. On the various Gargas see Pingree D., Census of the exact sciences in Sanskrit, Series A, ii (Philadelphia, 1971), 115b–126a.
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16. II, 20, 35.
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17. Yavanajātaka, 79, 27; this could be interpreted as either an out-flowing or an in-flowing clock.
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18. Pañcasiddhāntikā, 14, 31–2.
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22. II, 20, 61–64.
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36. III, 32.
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37. Daśagītikā, 1.
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40. So, for instance, argues Taqizadeh S. H., Old Iranian calendars (London, 1938), on not entirely convincing evidence.
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47. Most of the literary evidence is discussed in Chattopadhyaya S., The Achaemenids in India (Calcutta, 1950); cf. also Jairazbhoy R. A., Foreign influence in Ancient India (London, 1963), 38–47. For the archaeological evidence see Wheeler R. E. M., “Iran and India in Pre-Islamic Times”, Ancient India, iv (1948), 85–103, esp. 92 sqq.
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Volume 4, Issue 1
Pages: 1 - 12
Article first published: February 1973
Issue published: February 1973

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David Pingree
Brown University
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