Introduction by the Commentator

[ A brief excerpt from the introduction written by the late Shri Mahavir Prasad Srivastava ]

Astronomy Jyotish Shastra; literally 'the science of light' is the primary limb of the Veda because it is used to determine the correct time for performing sacrifices. Therefore, in ancient India, the study and teaching of astronomy was considered a meritorious and holy act. Its other names are the "Science of Time Regulation" Kala-vidhana-shastra or "Knowledge of Time" Kala-gyana. According to the Kashyapa Samhita an ancient Sanskrit text attributed to the sage Kashyapa, there were 18 founding teachers Acharyas of astronomy, whose names are:—

1—Surya The Sun, 2—Pitamaha Brahma, the Creator, 3—Vyasa, 4—Vasishtha, 5—Atri, 6—Parashara, 7—Kashyapa, 8—Narada, 9—Garga, 10—Marichi, 11—Manu, 12—Angira, 13—Lomasha, 14—Paulisha, 15—Chyavana, 16—Yavana, 17—Bhrigu, and 18—Shaunaka.

The original theoretical treatises Siddhanta-grantha of all these 18 names listed here are not currently known. Among these figures, several are authors of both Compendiums Samhita and Treatises Siddhanta; some deal with only one of these two subjects; and for some, no surviving text exists in either category under their name.

The ancient doctrines Siddhantas that have been discussed from the time of Varahamihira until today are: 1—Paulisha, 2—Romaka, 3—Vasishtha, 4—Saura, and 5—Paitamaha doctrines. These were collected by Varahamihira (around 550 AD) in his book titled Pancha-Siddhantika The Five Treatises. In that work, he also explained that the Paulisha doctrine is accurate, the Romaka doctrine is close to it, but the most accurate is the Surya-Siddhanta The Sun Doctrine; the remaining two are highly corrupted. On page 2 of the commentary Pancha-siddhantika-prakashika, Mahamahopadhyaya Sudhakar Dwivedi a renowned 19th-century mathematician and astronomer quotes the "Dialogue between the Sun and Aruna" Suryaruna-Samvada and states: the knowledge told by the Great Sage Pulisha (based on the wisdom of sages like Garga) is the Paulisha Siddhanta. The knowledge which the Sun God—having been born in the city of Rome due to a Brahmin's curse—explained to the Yavana historically referring to Greeks or Westerners people, is the Romaka Siddhanta. That which Vasishtha gave to his son Parashara is the Vasishtha Siddhanta. That which the Sun gave to the demon Maya Maya Daitya, the celestial architect is the Saura Siddhanta, and that which Brahma gave to his son Vasishtha is the Paitamaha Siddhanta.

It is not mentioned where this "Dialogue between the Sun and Aruna" was taken from. According to this dialogue, the Sun God is the instructor of both the Romaka and Saura doctrines; the first—