Introduction

According to the view of Aryabhata, it moves 578,159 times; therefore, according to both these views respectively, the precession Ayana: the shifting of the equinoxes advances eastward by 52.3 and 52.1 seconds Vikala: a second of arc in ancient Indian astronomy every year. The Parashari Samhita is the very foundation of Aryabhata’s system; this is inferred from the excerpts quoted in his book. The author of the Parashari was the first to propose the shifting state of the equinoxes. According to his view, the equinoctial cycle oscillates between two points, 27 degrees east and west of the sign of Aries. Aryabhata compared his own celestial observations with those recorded in the Parashari and applied his intellect to other matters as well. In the text Aryashtashatika, he recorded a different opinion regarding the precession—according to him, "The cycle should move 24 degrees in both directions" original: "चतुर्विंशत्यंशचक्रमुभयतो गच्छेत्". In his later work, the Dashagitika, he set aside that opinion and upheld the ancient view. From these two published opinions, it is inferred that by writing 24 degrees, he was indicating the limit of the precession based on an estimate of his own time. Therefore, it is known that he was born when the equinoctial cycle had advanced 24 degrees from the western point. At the time of Varahamihira and the author of the Surya Siddhanta, the cycle had advanced 27 degrees; thus, in Aryabhata’s time, the cycle was 3 degrees west of Aries. For this reason, he was born 215 years before Varahamihira, or 9 years before the Shaka era The Shaka era began in 78 CE; this places Aryabhata around 69 CE by this specific calculation. Mr. Apurva Chandra says that Aryabhata lived 16 centuries after Yudhishthira. Mr. Colebrooke is of the opinion that Aryabhata was a contemporary of Diophantus, the inventor of Greek algebra. Diophantus was born sometime around 319 CE. The honorable Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a resident of Pune, published a book titled Orion referring to the constellations Mrigashira and Ardra and, using Vedic evidence, showed that the shifting state of the equinoxes is mathematically incorrect.

The Garga Samhita is also an ancient text of astrology. Varahamihira has repeatedly mentioned the name of this text in the Brihat Samhita. Professor Kern, the English translator of the Brihat Samhita, quoted passages from the Garga Samhita and wrote that it was composed 44 years before the Christian era. That passage is as follows:

Then, having attacked Saketa, the Panchalas, and Mathura,
the Greeks Yavanas: historically referring to Indo-Greeks, possessing wicked prowess, will reach the City of the Flower-Standard Kusumadhvaja: another name for Pataliputra/Patna.
Once they reach the famous and prosperous City of Flowers Pushpapura,
all the provinces will undoubtedly fall into chaos.

The wicked Greeks will attack Saketa, Panchala, and Mathura and proceed to Pataliputra (Patna). Reaching Kusumapura, they will loot it and cause utter destruction. Professor Kern says that during the time of the Bactrian King Menander, 144 years before the Christian era, an invasion of Saketa took place. Therefore, the author of the Garga Samhita lived after this invasion. Whatever Garga has written regarding the precession, it is known that he took this subject from the Parashari, because both expressed the same opinion when describing the auspicious and inauspicious effects of the precession!

As stated by Parashara:

When [the sun] reaches the end of the constellation Shravana original: Vaishnavanta and enters the northern path,
or when it enters the southern path in Ashlesha, it leads to great fear.