The distinctive features of Rik-Jyotisha

Abstract

There are six appendices to the veda, which include grammar, Glossary, of words etc. jyotisha is one of those appendices. It mainly states the positions of the sun and moon and gives the method of making calendars required for performing sacrifices. There are two recessions of Jyotisha, Rik-Jyotisha and Yajus- jyotisha. Rik-Jotisha uses 19 years luni-solar cycle while yajus-jyotisha uses 5 years luni-solar cycle for its calendar making. Such cycles are called ‘yuga’ in these texts. The author of this paper has in January 1987 read a paper on the subject at Hyderabad and also published books on the said subject. The distinctive features of these two texts are not properly understood by the students of the subject. The object of this paper is to give the distinctive features of Rik-text as 19 years Yuga.