The "desired hypotenuse" original: "ista-karna"; the hypotenuse of the gnomon's shadow at a specific time is mentioned. One should subtract the midday hypotenuse from the desired hypotenuse, and divide the desired hypotenuse by the remainder. The result obtained there is called the "multiplier" guna: a mathematical coefficient used in these astronomical calculations. One should calculate this multiplier along with its fractional parts. || 8 ||

Subtract one-hundredth of the "cardinal-day" from the multiplier;

Divide nine times the "cardinal-day" by that; the square root of the result is the "bent-nadikas."

The "bent-nadikas" or nata-nadika refer to the time in ghatikas (24-minute units) elapsed from midday. || 9 ||

Subtract one-hundredth of the "cardinal-day" vidig-dina: a specific astronomical constant used in this school of calculation from the multiplier. Divide nine times the cardinal-day by that modified multiplier. The square root of the quotient obtained there is the "bent-nadikas." By subtracting these bent-nadikas from the measure of half the day, the remainder is the number of ghatikas a unit of time equal to 24 minutes either elapsed since sunrise or remaining until sunset. Here, the equinoctial shadow and the distance in yojanas an ancient Indian measure of distance from the prime meridian for this village are shown:

* From this village named Ashvattha, the distance to the prime meridian is eighteen yojanas. Here, the equinoctial shadow phala-bhā: the shadow of a gnomon at noon on the equinox is two angulas and eighteen vyangulas sub-units of measurement toward the East.

Thus ends the Chapter on the Three Questions in the Manasa-Vyakhyana by Paramesvara.

Thus ends the Second Chapter in the Manasa-Vyakhyana by Paramesvara.

Now, the Third Chapter.

Now begins the Chapter on Eclipses.

When the distance between two planets is small, if the faster one is behind,

the conjunction is yet to come; if the slower one is behind, the conjunction is past.

|| 1 ||

Now, he speaks in order to provide knowledge of the conjunction of planets and similar phenomena: "When the distance between two planets..." When the distance between any two planets is small, one should investigate their conjunction. In that case, when the planet with the slower motion is in front of the one with the greater motion analpa-bhukti: "not-small-motion," i.e., the faster planet, then their conjunction is "to be" (future). If the faster planet is in front of the slower one, the conjunction is "gone" (past). However, during the period of retrograde motion vakra: when a planet appears to move backward, the one positioned below is considered to be in front. || 1 ||

By the sum of the speeds if moving in opposite directions, or by the difference if in the same direction,

the days are found from the distance between planets; through these, the two become equal.

|| 2 ||

Footnote at bottom of page

The village named Ashvattha is famous in Kerala as "Alathur." This is the birthplace of the commentator Paramesvara.