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About Soma Siddhanta

[Write-up by Sreenadh OG and Veneet Kumar]

There is a book published with the name "Jyotisha Siddhanta Sangraha" printed in

Banaras Sanskrit University Printing Press, and edited by Visweswari Prasad Dwivedi.

This text is a compilation of 4 siddhantas such as

1) Soma Siddhanta

2) Brahma Siddhanta

3) Pitamaha Siddhanta

4) Vriddha Vasishta Siddhanta

Part of this book is available for download in AIA-DL at:

http://www.ancientindianastrology.com/cmsa/index.php?option=com_jdownloads&Itemi

d=86&view=view.download&catid=145&cid=1486

As you all might know Siddhantas are texts that speak about mathematics (astronomical

mathematics and other calculations) useful for astrologia (Jyotisastra) as a whole. As

listed earlier one of these Siddhantas is "Soma Siddhanta"; and this write-up is brief intro

to this Siddhanta.

It is said that Soma (Moon god) advised this Siddhanta to Sage Shaunaka and Shaunaka

taught this to his students. This text is believed to have been collected and compiled by

the students of Sage Shaunaka . Therefore Soma Siddhanta is also known by the name

Shaunaka Siddhanta; giving credit to the fact that it is the tradition of Sage Shaunaka

who preserved the knowledge of this Siddhanta for posterity. Let me quote some lines

from the beginning of Soma Siddhanta.

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[The intelligent sage Shaunaka , after bowing down to the son of Brihaspati (i.e. Moon),

who was appealing in looks and was sitting quietly and comfortably, asked (the

following).]

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[O lord! O the knower of all scriptures! O the one who is devoted to the well being of all

creatures! How is the position of the planets (determined)? (It is from this position of

planets that) one determines the time duration (elapsed from sunrise to the Ishta-kala), the

eclipses, the conjunctions of planets, the movements of planets, the rising of planets and

signs, the pata of the planets, the phases of the moon as well as the creation, existence

and destruction of the universe.]

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[O fortunate one! O the lord of herbs! Dispel this doubt of mine]

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