This form is indeed appropriate, making the act of salutation fruitful. Furthermore, concerning the subject matter to be expressed, a blessing is stated here through the word "salutation" original: "नमो"; namo. In this scientific treatise, the subject to be discussed is the nature of the mean and true positions of the planets, and the purpose is to favor the students with worldly success. Success in the afterlife is also mentioned, as the attainment of ultimate liberation original: "नि:श्रेयस"; the highest good or final beatitude through the illumination of correct knowledge; this should be understood from the commentary on the rationale the Vasana-bhashya. Here and there, one can see certain clever arguments that cause wonder in the minds of the intelligent. Now, because it is useful for providing examples, the years elapsed since the beginning of the cosmic age original: "कल्प"; Kalpa; a vast period of time in Hindu cosmology are written at the start of the book. In that regard:
Years elapsed in the Kalpa: 1,972,948,284
Intercalary months: 727,661,689 original: "अधिमास"; adhimasa; extra months added to lunar calendars to sync with the solar year
Omitted lunar days: 1,455,224,544 original: "अवमगण"; avamagana; days dropped from the lunar calendar
Civil day-count at sunrise: 720,633,600,745,2 ॥ 1 ॥
The Commentary of Sudhakara:
> Placing in my heart the beautiful lotus feet of the beloved of Sita referring to Lord Rama, which are cherished by the bees that are the goddesses of fortune, I speak the explanation of the planetary calculations composed by the excellent Bhaskara.
Here, the illustrious Bhaskara performs a blessing to ensure the removal of obstacles, and thereafter states: "I shall explain the planetary calculations." This is for the sake of clarity.
Calculating the Day-Count:
The Shaka year Saka; an era starting in 78 CE minus one thousand, one hundred and fifty 1150, multiplied by twelve, and increased by the months elapsed since the month of Chaitra. This result should be placed below itself. ॥ 2 ॥
Multiply that lower value by two, add sixty-six, and subtract the nine-hundredth part of itself. Divide the result by sixty-five to find the intercalary months. Add these to the upper value. ॥ 2 (continued) ॥
Multiply that result by thirty, add the elapsed lunar days, and place this below itself. Add three and also add the seven hundred and third part of itself. ॥ 3 ॥
Divide this by sixty-four; the quotient is the omitted days. Subtract these from the value above. The result is the day-count, beginning from Thursday. ॥ 3 ॥
The Commentary of Sumatiharsha:
The Shaka year of the time at which one desires to calculate the mean positions of the planets is the "desired year." From the total years of the Shaka king, one should subtract one thousand, one hundred and fifty 1150. The remainder represents the solar years elapsed since the beginning of this specific treatise. That count of elapsed years is multiplied by twelve to become the count of solar months. To this, add the lunar months that have passed since the month of Chaitra the first month of the Hindu year. This value should be held in a second position below the first.
Then, the value placed below is multiplied by two, increased by sixty-six rasa-anka; rasa is 6, anka is 9, but in this context and calculation tradition, it refers to 66, and decreased by its own nine-hundredth part. When this is divided by sixty-five, the result is the number of intercalary months. By this method, sometimes an intercalary month is found even if it hasn't technically occurred, and sometimes it isn't found even if it has. To be certain, one should use the rule "the intercalary month must be clear/accurate" and accordingly add or subtract one. As it is said in the Siddhanta Shiromani:
> "Whether an intercalary month has occurred but is not obtained by calculation, or has not occurred but is obtained, the wise should calculate the heap of days by adding or subtracting one month accordingly."
Add those intercalary months to the value held above to get the total lunar months. This is multiplied by thirty and increased by the elapsed days of the month starting from the first day of the bright fortnight to get the lunar day-count. This is placed in two positions. To the lower one, add three and also add its own seven-hundred-and-third part. Divide this by sixty-four to get the omitted days avama. Just like the intercalary months, one should add or subtract one from the omitted days if necessary. It is said: "If the day-count is for a desired weekday, it may be increased or decreased by one." Subtract those omitted days from the lunar day-count above; the result is the "Ahargana" total civil days starting from Thursday. From the beginning of this treatise, these are the terrestrial days—the solar-civil days—representing how many sunrises have occurred.
It is said:
> "The interval between two sunrises is a solar-civil day arka-savana. That same thing is a terrestrial day medini-dina, while a sidereal day is one rotation of the stars."
->Thus is the accomplishment of the day-count.