BRAHMAGUPTA AND ŚRIŞENA systems, and he very much resented such interferences in pure academic life of this country. He was opposed to Aryabhaṭa for a different reason. Aryabhata was universally regarded as an authority in this country, and the conservativism was so deep that even where it could be shown by direct observation or on valid theoretical grounds, that a particular concept was erroneous or less accurate, people still chose to adhere to it. since they had the backing of Aryabhata's authority. Brahma- gupta was against this nonscientific attitude. Needless to say, Brahmagupta was not always fair to Aryabhata in his criticism ; he overdid in enumerating the shortcomings of Aryabhata's system, as if he was personally jealous of his wide popularity. 331 Brahmagupta's feelings against Laţadeva, Śrīşena, Vişnu- candra and others would be seen from the following passage in the Brahmasphutasiddhanta : From the fact that Srişepa, Vişnucandra, Pradyumna Aryabhata, Lata, and Simha contradict one another regarding eclipses and similar topics, their ignorance. is proved daily. The criticisms which 1 have passed on Äryabhata are, with the requisite modifications, to be applied to the doctrines of each of these teachers as well. I will, however, make some further critical re- marks on Śrisena and others. Srisena took from Lata the rules concerning the mean motions of the Sun, and the Moon, the Moo 1's apogee and her node, and the mean motions of Mars, Mercu- ry's Sighra, Jupiter, Venus's Sighra, and Saturn; he took elapsed years and the revolutions of juga (yuga- yata-varşa-bhagana) from Vasiştha and the Padakaraṇa of Vijayanandi; further took from Aryabhata the rules concerning the apogee. epicycycles and nodes, and those referring to the true motions of the planets and thus the Romaka Siddhanta which was (or is) a heap of jewels (as it were) has. by Srişena, been made into a patched rag (as it were)¹. 1. श्रीपेहविष्णुचन्द्र प्रधुन्नार्यमटलाटसिंहानाम् । ग्रहस्यादिविसंवादात् प्रतिदिन द्विगुणमवत्वम् || [Cont. on Page 330]
