1

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.]
F 

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[O fortunate one! O the lord of herbs! Dispel this doubt of mine]
A EJ ' 4;!9 "  !;/<"
A  E   * L<
E <$ ('M(
[After hearing thes words of Shaunaka, Moon, the lord of the three worlds, the greatly
fortunate one, spoke the following words with reverence]
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A0OD -  <G"
  !    ,
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[O Maharishi! You are capable of knowing this subject in its entirity. Shaunaka! Listen, I
shall tell you this entire scripture, about which you have asked and which is very difficult
to acquire, which is a limb of the Vedas and which is the most excellent]
Thus begins this excellent ancient text dealing with ancient indian astronomical
mathematics, the Siddhantic text, as cherished by the tradition of Sage Shaunaka and his
students. If you want to know further read the text itself.
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