Varahamihira

Varahamihira was born in the village of Kapitha (Kapattika) in Avantika (Western Malva, now the state of Madhya Pradesh ), but we do not know the location of this village. He began to study astronomical sciences (including astrology) under the guidance of his father Adityadashi. He lived in the nearby city of Ujjain - the most important center of ancient Indian astronomy, where at the same time his older colleague Ariabhata worked. According to legend, he was one of the Navaratnas - the “nine precious stones” of the court of the legendary King Vikramaditya (probably King Yashodkarman, Emperor Gupta ). Some sources report that Varahamihira traveled a lot and even traveled to Greece, but the reliability of such reports is questionable.

His son Prithuyashas was a famous astrologer, his book of horoscopes “Choir of Saar” is known. Modern brahmanas shakadvipi consider themselves descendants of Varahamihira, but there is no documentary evidence of this.

The main astronomical composition of Varahamihira is “Pancha-siddhantika” (“A treatise including five siddhantas ” (astronomical books were called siddhantas)). Dating back to about 575, this treatise contains extracts from ancient Indian astronomical books currently lost: these are Surya Siddhanta , Romaka Siddhanta, Paulisha Siddhanta, Vasishtha Siddhanta and Paytamaha Siddhanta . These books were based on the results of Hellenistic astronomy, which included Greek as well as Egyptian and Babylonian elements. With the traditional Hindu views, Varahamihira manages quite freely; in particular, the abode of the gods Mount Meru is the point of the north pole:

Earth's reach is 3200 yojanas . The sun on the equinox makes a revolution along the celestial equator above the earth's equator, for which Meru is the pole ... Ujjain is at latitude 24 °, 66 ° from Meru ... People in Lanka see a polar star on the horizon, those on Meru - at the zenith, those in between are in the middle position ... With the help of the gnomon, we can determine the center of the Earth or the coverage of the entire Earth, just as we taste the taste of salt by drinking some salt water.

In the Pancha Siddhantika, Varahamihira uses some interesting mathematical results; Whether they belong to him or he uses them according to tradition is impossible to say with certainty. To calculate the area of ​​the circle, Varahamihira uses the approximation${\displaystyle \mathrm{<span\; class="mwe-math-element"><span\; class="mwe-math-mathml-inline\; mwe-math-mathml-a11y"\; style="display:\; none;">\pi </span></span>}}$ {\ displaystyle \ pi}   =${\displaystyle \sqrt{\mathrm{<span\; class="mwe-math-element"><span\; class="mwe-math-mathml-inline\; mwe-math-mathml-a11y"\; style="display:\; none;">10</span></span>}}}$ {\ displaystyle {\ sqrt {10}}}   . Here we give the main trigonometric identity and a number of other relations of plane trigonometry.

Defending traditional views, Varahamihira objects to the theory of his contemporary Ariabhata that the rotation of heaven is only apparent, and is the result of the rotation of the Earth around its axis:

A globe composed of five elements hangs in space in the middle of the stellar sphere, like a piece of iron between two magnets. From all sides it is covered with trees, mountains, cities, groves, rivers, seas and other things. At its center is Sumeru, the abode of the gods. Asuras live below ... One of the poles is visible in the space above Meru; the other is in space below. Fastened at the poles, the stellar sphere moves with the wind of right-wingers. Some say that the Earth rotates as if it were in a lathe, and not in a sphere; but in this case, falcons and others could not return from the ether to their nests. And also, if the Earth rotated in one day, flags and similar objects forced by this speed of rotation would constantly be directed to the west. And if the Earth rotates slowly, how does it manage to complete a revolution?

Varahamihira owns the encyclopedic essay “Brihat Samhita” (“Big Collection”) of 106 chapters, covering many areas of human life: astrology , planetary motion, eclipses, rainfall, clouds, architecture, growing crops, perfumery, matrimony, family relationships, gems and pearls (estimated by Garuda Purana ), rituals. He also wrote a shorter Samasha-Samhita, which has not survived to this day.

In the field of horoscope astrology, Varahamihira owns the works of Brihat Jataka (The Big Book of Births) and Laghu Jataka (The Brief Book of Births). In addition, he composed three works on military astrology (“Brikhad Yatra”, “Tikanika Yatra” and “Yoga Yatra”). He is considered the author of the code of rules of marriage and horary astrology "Vivaha Patal." He is credited with several more works of dubious authorship.

Works

• Varâha Mihira. Pañchasiddhântikâ. Text, tr. and intr. by G. Thibaut and MS Dvivedî. Benares, 1889.
• Neugebauer O., Pingree D. The Pañchasiddhântikâ of Varâhamihira . 2 vols. Copenhagen, Munskgaard, 1970-71.
• Varâha Mihira. Brihat Samhita. Tr. by M. C. Iyer. Madura: South Indian Press, 1884.
• Varâha Mihira. Brihat Jataka. Tr. by M. C. Iyer. Madras, 1885.

Research

• Van der Waerden B. Awakening Science II. The birth of astronomy. M .: Nauka, 1991. S. 315–325.

• John J. O'Connor and Edmund F. Robertson . Varahamihira (English) - biography in the MacTutor archive.
• The role of R. Varahamihir and his role in the history of Indian astrology.