Ancient Definition Of Ayanamsha

Suryasiddhntic Definition Of Ayanmsha

Ayanmsha is defined as the difference between Syan and Nirayan longitudes of
heavenly bodies . Now-a-days, Syan and Nirayan are respectively translated as tropical
and sidereal , but their original meanings were different. (See below for definitions of
Syan and Nirayan and their difference from tropical and sidereal).

According to the older view ayanmsha can increase from 0 to +27, after which it
starts decreasing to 0 and further to -27. Then it begins rising again, to 0 and further
to +27. This type of ayanmsha is known as Oscillation / Libration / trepidation (dolan
in Sanskrit). Surya-siddhnta supports this view. Another view is of continuous cyclic
change in a circle (actually along the solar ellipse or ecliptic), known as chakryana to
ancient astronomers of India like Manjula (Munjala). Traditional astrology rejected this
cyclic notion. Europe accepted this cyclic theory only at the beginning of Renaissance.
Before that, Indians, Arabs and Europeans used the oscillating type of ayanmsha which
was called trepidation in Europe. Its earliest mention in Europe dates back to Theon of
Alexandria (in his Small Commentary to the Handy Tables) in 4th century AD. Before
that, we have no direct proof of whether tropical or sidereal system was used by
Western astrologers or whether they believed in cyclic or oscillating type of ayanmsha ,
but there are ample evidences which suggest that Suryasiddhntic sidereal system and
Suryasiddhntic ayanmsha was prevalent in Europe and in other countries, a fact not
recognized by modern scholars.

Suryasiddhntic ayanmsha is computed by multiplying the full cycle of 360 with 0.3,
which gives a total range of 108 for one cycle of ayanmsha, comprising of four stages
of 0 to +27, 27 to +0,0 to -27 and -27 to 0.

Brahmasiddhntic Definition Of Ayanmsha

Rev E. Burgess laboured hard to convince everyone that Suryasiddhntic ayanmsha
was a mistake of scribe plus misinterpretation because he wanted to replace it with
ayanmsha based on equinoctial precession, but the the same Suryasiddhntic
ayanmsha is repeated in Brahma-sidhanta with even more clarity (last
five verses in the scanned page below) :

Somasiddhntic Definition Of Ayanmsha

Again, the same Suryasiddhntic ayanmsha is repeated in
Soma-sidhanta (last five lines in the scanned page below) :

Nrada Purna's Definition Of Ayanmsha

Nrada-Purna (poorva-bhga, pda-2, verses-133-4 repeats
exactly the same Suryasiddhntic verses of ayanmsha..
Sometimes many verses are repeated in other Purnas, which induce modern readers to
comment that some Purnas are spurious. They deliberately forget that all the Purnas
were compiled by the same person Veda Vysa Ji, hence sometimes identical verses are
found in different Purnas. The basic ideology of Purnas is always the same, which
makes modernised 'scholars' uneasy.

Vyu and Matsya Purna's Definition Of Ayanmsha

It is ,therefore, clear that Suryasiddhntic verses of
ayanmsha are not errors of scribes or mistake of
judgment as Rev E. Burgess would make us believe, but
deliberately introduced in all archaic texts of astronomy.
Most convincing proof is from Vyu and Matsya Purnas
which provide some difficult computations which any
novice could not introduce in ancient texts.. It has been
discussed here in separate sections.

Suryasiddhantic Ayanamsha in Reanaissance Europe

Following is the scanned image of a page from Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos in which the
publisher added in footnote a summarized description of mediaeval Cosmology prevalent
in Europe ; I have shaded those portions which define the trepidating ayanamsha in the
fashion of Suryasiddhantic ayanamsha. In the West, the earliest reference to trepidation
goes back to Theon of Alexandria around 5th century AD. Arabs and later muslim and
Christian Spaniards also used it. Incidentally, it also shows that Fixed Stars were
used as reference points, with beginning of Mesha and Tula as cardinal points,
exactly like the nirayana system of Suryasiddhanta ! Modern Westerners try their
best to hide such facts esp from Indians and teach the Indians that Suryasiddhantic
ayanamsha is an aberration or a typo error (as Rev E. Burgess wrote).