Introduction

It has advanced 26 degrees and 24 minutes to the east. Therefore, from the time of Hipparchus to the time of Herschel William Herschel, the 18th-century British astronomer, the equinoctial point Kranti-pata-bindu: the point where the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic has moved 26 degrees and 24 minutes eastward. Thus, through precise mathematical calculation, it is known that Hipparchus observed the heavens 1897 years before Herschel, or before 147 BCE. In the time of Hipparchus, the star Chitra Spica was located at 174 degrees of the zodiac. However, in the time of the author of the Surya Siddhanta and Varaha Varahamihira, it had advanced 6 degrees eastward; that is, the equinox and the star Chitra were at the same position in the zodiac, or at 180 degrees. Therefore, by fixing the annual precession of the equinox Ayana: the movement of the equinoxes at 50.1 seconds and calculating, it is known that the author of the Surya Siddhanta and Varaha lived 431 years after Hipparchus, or in the year 284 CE. It has already been stated that the author of the Parashari published the positions of the seasons 1676 years before Varaha; therefore, he existed 1392 years before the Christian Era.

Now it is revealed that Adityadasa did not personally write the Surya Siddhanta. Varahamihiracharya has written his father's name as Adityadasa in the Varahi Samhita and the Brihat Jataka. At the end of the Brihat Jataka, there is this verse:

The son of Adityadasa, having obtained knowledge from him,

In the town of Kapittha, having received the grace of the Sun God,

Varahamihira of Avanti, having thoroughly studied the views of the sages,

Composed this beautiful work on Horoscopy. (9)

This intellect, graced by bowing at the feet of the Sun, the Sages, and the Teacher,

Has compiled this scripture; salutations to the ancient creators.

Original Sanskrit: "Adityadasatanayastadavaptabodhah..." translated here into English.

Varahamihira, a resident of Avanti and son of Adityadasa (who was learned in the Vedas), having obtained the grace of the Sun God in the city of Kapittha and having well-considered the opinions of the wise, composed this sweet Hora-shastra Horoscopy/Astrology. The grace produced by bowing to the Sun, the Sages, and the feet of the Guru is the primary cause for the collection of this scripture; therefore, he bows to them repeatedly.

From observing the positions of the lunar mansions Nakshatras given in the Surya Siddhanta for that period, it is known that it was composed during the time of Varaha. Now we arrive at these conclusions: 1. Perhaps Varaha himself composed the Siddhanta and named it after his father or the Sun, or 2. His father himself composed it and named it the Surya Siddhanta. In his book Pancha-siddhantika, Varaha has listed the Saura-siddhanta among the five systems; for this reason, it is clearly revealed that the Surya Siddhanta was not composed by him. Therefore, it appears that the said book was written by his father Aditya—