Treatise on the Sun

[Page 4]

Having calculated the motion for the elapsed 68 original: "gata" — refers to the elapsed time or units in the calculation and the upcoming position, the planet’s true position for that specific moment is found. In the 21,600 minutes of the zodiacal circle original: "bhacakra-liptā" — a circle divided into 360 degrees consists of 21,600 minutes (360 x 60), the maximum northern and southern deviation 7 is caused by the planet’s own node original: "pāta" — the point where a planet's orbit crosses the ecliptic. Through its own power, a similar deflection occurs. That value is multiplied by two and divided by nine original: "nava-aṃśa-dviguṇitaṃ" for the Moon. For Mars original: "kuja", the sine original: "jīvā" is multiplied by three. 68 For Mercury original: "budha"...

...and Saturn original: "arkaja" — literally "born of the Sun," a common name for Saturn, the deflection at the node is multiplied by four. Thus, using the multipliers of twenty-seven, nine, twelve, and twelve original: "tri-ghana randhra-arka-arka" — using "Bhūta-saṅkhyā" where "tri-ghana" (3 cubed) is 27, "randhra" (openings in the body) is 9, and "arka" (the Sun/months) is 12 respectively, 69 the mean latitudes original: "madhya-vikṣepa-liptikāḥ" for the Moon and the other planets are obtained in order.

Thus ends the first chapter, the Explanation of Mean Motion, in the Surya Siddhanta. 1

Now begin the invisible forms of Time, which are divine entities residing in the zodiac original: "bhagaṇa". Known as the fast apogees original: "śīghra-ucca" — the point of conjunction, used for planetary anomalies, slow apogees original: "manda-ucca" — the apsis or the point furthest from Earth, and the nodes original: "pāta", they are the causes of the planets' motions. 2

With cords made of invisible rays, these entities pull the planets to the left and the right, forward and backward, according to their proximity, each toward its own direction. 2 A great wind called Pravaha original: "pravaha-akhya-marut" — the cosmic wind believed to drive the celestial spheres westward impels the planets toward their own apogees. Being pulled back and forth, they move at various speeds. 3 When the apogee is ahead of the planet, it pulls the planet forward; when it is behind, it pulls the planet backward. 4

When the planets are pulled forward by their apogees, they move in a prograde direction; this is called "positive" original: "dhana". When they are pulled backward, the correction is called "negative" original: "ṛṇa". 5 By the force of Rahu original: "rāhu" — the North Node of the Moon, personified as a celestial dragon, the planets are deflected to the north and south from their nodes. 6 A node moving toward the north deflects the planet in that direction; an apogee in the upper half of the orbit pulls the planet toward the south. 7 For Mercury original: "budha" and Venus original: "bhārgava", the node is situated according to their fast apogee original: "śīghra". By the pull of that fast apogee, they are deflected in latitude...