बृहत्संहिता (आचार्य वराहमिहिर - स्थापत्य, खगोल, मौसम व जल विज्ञान)

vii such shallow and biased learning has been manifested by many orientalists in the West is deplorable. From a single Sanskrit Sloka that reads, 'The Yavanas are Mlechchas; in them, this Science is established; therefore, even they deserve worship like Rishis.........' in the west, they have gone so far as to declare that all Indian sciences are but echoes of the Greek; whereas a true reading of the Sloka may show that the Mlechcha disciples of the Aryans are herein praised in order to encourage them to a further study of the Aryan Sciences.........". Only a sage can comprehened this Science, says our author (II-4). The present author does pay homage to the ancient authorities on this subject. He also just alludes to the various theories regarding creation pro- pounded by the Sankhyas, Vaiseshikas, Meemamsakas and others and passes on to the subject on hand. The Science consists of three Skandhas or branches, viz. Ganita, Hora and Sakha (vide I-9). The treatment of the whole subject in all its details is said to be संहिता (Samhita) which itself means a collection. Accordingly Garga says that the Great Brahman who is well-versed in these three branches is said to be an expert in Sam- hita. But our author points out that he has already done justice to two of the branches, viz., Ganita (गणित) and Jataka (जातक) in his पञ्चसिद्धान्तिका (Panchasiddhantika) and बृहज्जातक (Brihat Jataka) respectively (vide I-10). He gives in the 2nd Chapter the details of the संहिता (Sam- hita) thereby indicating that the term Samhita is inde- pendently used for the Sakha also by itself. But he gives a resume of the first two Skandhas also. It has been stated (CVII-13) that this work consists of 100 Adhyayas, in Slokas 3900 when converted into