Discernment of the Truth of Astronomical Principles

A month is indeed a month of Solar Ingress Saṃkrānti|The moment the Sun moves from one zodiac sign to the next; thus, at that time, perhaps because of that... there would be two Intercalary Months Adhimāsa|An extra month added to the lunar calendar to keep it in sync with the solar year (14). These are all remembered in the sacred tradition regarding months and time; therefore, this is praised in all directions... (15).

Now, with effort in the science of the celestial bodies, I shall speak. Others have spoken, but if their words contradict other sciences, the matter must be handled with care (16). From here on, by the grace of the illustrious Lord of the Universe original: Jagadīśvara, I provide this explanation original: vivṛtti in full—it has appeared through a form of grace that is beyond the senses, following the instruction of my Teacher original: Guru (17). Behold, the Celestial Sphere Gola|The spherical model of the universe which has a golden luster and is surrounded by darkness... (18).

7,120,855,000,000 This enormous number likely refers to the circumference of the universe or the "shell" of the Brahma-egg in yojanas, a common measurement in Siddhantic astronomy.

...as there is always the progression of the zodiac signs (19). Inside that is the sky of the Celestial Wind Pravaha-vāyu|The powerful cosmic wind believed to drive the daily westward rotation of the stars and planets; by the support of the Poles Dhruva|The North and South celestial poles, it moves westward... (20). In a day, those two poles, situated in the North and South, are fixed in their directions... they remain steady through the power of the Lord. From the position of the Pole... there is the Equator Viṣuvanmaṇḍala|The great circle representing the projection of the Earth's equator into space... (21).

The planets move toward the poles. From the North Pole... from the South Pole... (23). Thus, in order, those two Ecliptic Poles Kadambakau|The poles specifically related to the Sun's path, rather than the Earth's rotation are separated from each other by six signs 180 degrees... (24).

Situated at 10 degrees The text reads "10", though 24 degrees is the standard astronomical measurement for the obliquity of the ecliptic in this tradition is the Ecliptic Krānti|The apparent path the Sun follows across the sky over the course of a year north of the equator. In that Ecliptic circle, there are the fixed Twelve Zodiac Signs Dvādaśa-rāśayaḥ|The signs of the zodiac, starting with Aries. Aries and the others original: meṣādayas are situated there, and they are fixed (27). There are twenty-seven stars The Nakshatras or lunar mansions in the ecliptic circle (8).

In that sphere, there is another sphere attached, known as the Sphere of Stars Bhagola|The specific shell of the celestial sphere containing the fixed stars... (27). Divided into twenty-seven parts... from the center of the Ecliptic Pole... (28). Regarding the movement of the Sphere original: gola, its twelve equal parts are the Twelve Zodiac Signs (29). Aries and the others, and the twenty-seven parts which are Aśvinī The first of the 27 Nakshatras or lunar mansions and the rest, are used for the purpose of calculating astrological results in their proper order (30). As has been stated, Aśvinī and the rest are to be understood right here.