Discernment of the Truth of Astronomical Principles

Om! Salutations to the Blessed Lord, who is Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss.
original: Saccidānandāya; a common Vedantic description of the ultimate reality or God

He is the support of the earth’s surface, the delight of the lords of the universe, and through His merciful gaze, the arrangement of the celestial spheres is set in motion. In these spheres, wisdom resides; by His power, the certainties of the movement of the planets and the stars are determined for the sake of auspiciousness. 1 Whatever exists, resides in Him; from Him, the creation of Brahma and the other gods proceeds. He is the eternal Moon-like reflector and the Sun, the great repository of divine light. He is the soul of time, the unmanifest made manifest, the Sun known as Savitṛ. 2

He wanders through the various worlds within the celestial spheres. The Sun, composed of all things, is the illuminator of the water-filled planetary globes. 4 The verse numbering in the manuscript skips or groups units here. He is the initiator of the scriptures and the ordainer of Time. He is composed of the three Vedas and stands as the sole witness to the world. 5 Some, following the logic of the Mṛd-vāda a philosophical school or "clay-argument" regarding material cause, speak of the Sun as different from this reality, but such views are considered inaccurate due to a lack of authority. 6

Following the methods seen in the scriptures, I have analyzed the Siddhāntas traditional Indian astronomical treatises to resolve doubts. For the benefit of those who understand the spheres, I present this work. This knowledge is consistent with the Surya Siddhanta original: Sauramate; refers to the "Opinion of the Sun," the foundational text of Indian astronomy, yet it clarifies points that were previously difficult to grasp. Within this work, the underlying rationale and logical proofs are provided for all practical applications and for the success of one’s own calculations. 7-8

In truth, many wise men have composed Siddhāntas by explaining these matters in various ways. 9 Therefore, after bowing to my venerable teacher, the illustrious Divākara, I, Kamalākara, the son of Nṛsiṃha, 11 compose this work titled the Discernment of the Principles of Truth. It contains clear explanations of astronomical principles for the delight of the best of scholars who know the celestial spheres. 12
original: Siddhāntatattvaviveka; the author Kamalākara (c. 1658) was part of a famous family of astronomers in Varanasi

Even though things were explained by Brahma and others, I shall describe the various measurements of time: the Solar, the Terrestrial, and others, according to the nine traditional standards of measurement. 13 Time is the end-maker of all beings; it is the calculator of all things. It is divided into two types: the Manifest and the Unmanifest. 14
Manifest and Unmanifest original: Mūrta and Amūrta; Mūrta refers to measurable time (breaths, minutes, days), while Amūrta refers to infinitesimal time smaller than a human breath

The manifest begins with a "breath" (Prāṇa); the unmanifest is even subtler. The cycles of days, nights, and the clusters of lunar mansions are well known. 15 Six breaths are said by the wise to equal one Pala. 16
1 Prāṇa (breath) ≈ 4 seconds; 1 Pala ≈ 24 seconds

Sixty Palas make one Ghaṭikā. Sixty Ghaṭikās constitute a day and night. Thirty such days make a month, and twelve months make a year. This is the standard behavior of time. 17
1 Ghaṭikā = 24 minutes; 60 Ghaṭikās = 24 hours

Regarding the measurement of the circle:
Sixty Seconds make one Minute.
Sixty Minutes are called one Degree.
Thirty Degrees make one Sign.
Twelve such Signs complete the circle. 18
original: Vikalā (seconds of arc), Kalā (minutes of arc), Bhāga (degrees), Rāśi (zodiac signs)

In this way, the divisions have been established by the inhabitants of Mount Meru the mythological center of the universe. All these sequences have existed since time immemorial. 19