174 ECLIPSES without the addition or subtraction of the nati. When that and the nati are of like direction, the (madhya)valana should be laid off towards the east; when they are of unlike directions, it is stretched out from the centre towards the west. With the help of a fish-figure (drawn about the point thus obtained), a line should then be drawn in the direction of the nati. From the meeting point of that with the outer circle, the intelligent should then draw a line to reach the centre (of the circle).¹ The nati should then be laid off from the centre along that line. At the end of that lies the centre of the eclipsing body at the middle of the eclipse (i.e., the madhya-bindu). The two points (already marked) are the centres of the eclipsing body for the times of the first and last contacts (i.e., the sparsa-bindu and (mokṣa-bindu). When the nati (for the middle of the eclipse) is of south direction, it should be, laid off towards the south; when it is of north direction, it is laid off towards the north. Points of difference of procedure in the case of a lunar eclipse: 58. This (i.e., the previous rule) is the method for the middle of the eclipse in the case of a solar eclipse. In the case of a lunar eclipse, the points of the first contact, the middle of the eclipse, and the last contact should be clearly indicated reversely. That is, in the case of a lunar eclipse, the following procedure should be adopted: To begin with, the madhya-valana should be laid off towards the west or east, according as the madhya-valana and the nati are of like or unlike directions. With the help of a fish-figure drawn about the point thus obtained a line should then be drawn through that point in the direc- tion contrary to the direction of the Moon's latitude. From the meeting point of that line with the outer circle a line should then be drawn to reach ¹ This line is prependicular to the ecliptic at the time of the middle of the eclipse.
