decipering a colophon

[Adrian.Burton at anu.edu.au]

At 01:27 7/03/97 GMT, Takao Hayashi wrote:

>By the way, common word numerals for "6" in Indian mathematics and
>astronomy are aGga, Rtu, and rasa, and the word ari and its synonyms are
>very rare.  For example, they do not occur in Varaahamihira's
>PaJcasiddhaantikaa (ca. AD 550), Bhaaskara I's comm. (629) on the
>AaryabhaTiiya, Mahaaviira's GaNitasaarasaMgraha (ca. 850), and Bhaaskara
>II's Liilaavatii (1150), which all utilize bhuutasaMkhyaas in their suutras
>and udaaharaNas.  But their actual use in that sense can be confirmed in
>the following astronomical text, in which ari and ripu are employed for
>"6".

Could this usage in astronomical texts be related to the use of "Ripu" for
the sixth astrological house?  The MS in question is not an astrological
treatise, but was copied for the personal library of Sawai Jai Singh II of
Jaipur, the famous astronomer.




_______________________________________________________________
Adrian Burton                      South and West Asia Centre
Adrian Burton at anu.edu.au   Faculty of Asian Studies
+61-6-279 8241                   Australian National University