The Hindoo law regulates gaming as well as prostitution: half the profit of a game belong to the magistrate, in whose presence, or in that of one of his officers, persons are commanded to play. A man who shall have caused a bramhŭn to eat dung or drink urine, is to be fined twelve pounds; for causing him to drink wine, to be put to death. Banishment from the kingdom is the punishment of a bramhån for eating garlic or onions. For reading the védă, a shōōdrů is to have boiling oil poured into his throat; for hearing it, into his ears; for committing it to memory, to be put to death. For wearing the bramhinical thread, the fine is two pounds five shillings. For constantly offering burnt-sacrifices, or molesting a bramhún, he is to be deprived of life. For performing a sacrifice to procure the death of another, a man must be fined five shillings and six-pence. For casting briars into a road, for mixing poison with food, for marrying a girl who is free to a slave, a man's limb is to be cut off. For interrupting a magistrate at play, the offender must be put to death. For administering poison, or setting fire to a house, or murdering a man, a woman is to be drowned, if not with child. For murdering her sacred teacher, her husband, or child, a woman must have her ears, nose, hands, and lips cut off, and must then be devoured by dogs. The laws respecting women are peculiarly barbarous. A bad wife is to be made the slave or cook to some idol. A woman is not allowed by the law to go out of the house without the consent of her husband; nor to talk with a stranger; nor to laugh without the veil over her face; nor to swallow any thing, except medicine, till she shall have served others, nor to go to the house of a stranger, nor to stand at the door, nor to look out at the window. She may give her body to be burnt with the corpse of her husband; in which case, she is promised happiness in paradise during 35,000,000 of years. Preservation of the kingdom from thieves, or vigilance in punishing thieves, secures paradise to the magistrate. SECTION XXXIV. The Astronomical shastrus. It will be seen, that in this department of science the Hindoos were as capable of comprehending the wonders of the heavens as any of the nations of antiquity. Their ancient astronomical works, though mixed with the most extravagant fancies, will long remain splendid monuments of the highest powers of intellect. The reader will find an epitome of the Sooryu-Siddhanto, by Bhaskŏracharyŭ, in the following pages, and for a more perfect idea of the powers of mind by which this work was produced, the author would refer his readers to a learned essay in the second volume of the Asiatic Researches, by S. Davis, Esq. The most ancient of the Hindoo astronomical works are referred by the Hindoos themselves to the sǎtwŭ yoogi. Most of the works mentioned below, however, were written only two or three hundred years ago, and others are not more than fifty or sixty years old. SECTION XXXV. Astronomical Works still extant. Sooryŭ-siddhantă, and Siddhantŭ-shiromunee, by Bhaskŭracharyŭ.—A comment on the former work, entitled Goorart'hi-průkashika, by Răngŭ-Nathu.-Others by Nreesinghŭ-günŭků, and by Bloodhůrů.-Lēlavštēē, by Bhaskŭracharyй.—Comments on ditto, by Găngadhără, Răngă-Nat'hŭ, Sööryŭ-dasŭ, and Gŭnéshů.—Vēējă-Gănitů, another work by Bhaskŭracharyŭ, on algebra, mensuration, &c.—Grăhŭ-spůshtă, on the planets.-Shooddhee-deepika, by Govindanŭndů.—Grühŭ-chară, on the motions of the planets. Bhoovinodeepňků, by Půdmŭ-nabhй.-A comment on the Vrihudjatoko, by Bhuttotpňů.-Swŭrodŏyn, with a comment on ditto, and another by Nuru-Huree. -Swǎrodǎyů-yůntră.—Shantikö-tutwamriti, by Narayŭnů-shŭrma.—Moohōōrtă-kŏlpădroomů, with a comment.-Jatňků-dărpănă, on fortunate and unfortunate births.-Sarimůnjăiée, by Vůnůmalee-mishră.—Võrahü-sŭnghita, by Vărahů.-Jatŏků, by Neelŭkůn t'hă.—Dină-săngrühé.—Průtyăntără-dŏshaphŭlů.—Somă-siddhantă.—Jyotirnirnŭyŭ.— Jyotish-sarŭ-săngıŭhů.—Horashăt-pìnchashika.—Shooddhee-rătnankoorů.--Văshisť❜hăsǎnghita.—Jatŭka-bhŏrůnů.—Méghŭ-mala.—Mükŭrŭndodahărănă.—Rajmart undů.Tajŭků.—Jatňků.-Chundronmeelănă.-Soură-bhashyů-vēt jū-génită, by Sōoryŭ-dasă.- Siddhant❜hu-sarvvă-bhoumă-vyakhya.-Bhaswǎtee.-Gruhů-chăritrů.-Grăhă-laghŭvů. -Vishwů-průdēēpů.-Brůmhă-siddhantă.--Siddhantă-mănjŭrēē.—-Moohoortă-chooramůnee. -Siddhantă-tătwă-vivékă.—Brămhů-siddhantă-vēeju-gănită.—Brămhŭ-gooptă -- krită.—Gănită-rajů, by Kévůlů-Ramă-Pănchanŭnů.*—-Grăhă-yamălă.—-Shree-pŭtee rutnă-mala.—Průstarů-chintamunee.-Rămălă-Răhŭsyǎ.-Rékha-gunitŭ-kshétră-vyăvăharu.-Vrihut-sunghita, by Võrahŭ-mihiră.—Siddhantă-shéshů, by Kůmŏlakără.--Sōōryūsiddhantă-kirŭnavŭlēē.—Deepika, and a comment by Raghuvacharyŭ.—Sötkrityŭ-mooktavǎlee. Sămără-sarů.-Kévůlũ-chŭndrika.--Lŏghoo-jatăků.—Nărăpătee-jŭyăchărya. -Mükărăndă.-Chămůtkaru-chintamănee.-Sheegru-bodhů.—Grůhŭ-laghăvă.--Shalee hotrů. SECTION XXXVI. 1 Epitome of the Sooryu-siddhantu, by Bhaskuracharyŭ, a bramhún. Time is thus divided: that which is infinitely minute, and the divisions of time: the latter is thus described: the period while a person can sound the vowel ee (*) ten times, is called pranŭ; six pranŭs make one půlă; sixty půlus, one dŭndů; sixty dùndŭs, one tit’hee; fifteen tit❜hees, one pŭkshů; two pŭkshus, one lunar month; twelve months make one year. The nine kinds of months are, bramhya, or a month of the life or reign of Brůmha, which is thus calculated, viz. the amount of the years in the four yoogis constitutes a great yoogů, and a thousand great yoogus make one of Brùmha's days; thirty of such days are included in a month of this god; a doivu, or divine month, is composed of thirty years of mortals; —a pitrů month, or a month of the pitrees, is made up of thirty months of mortals ;—a prajuputyŭ month;-a sourŭ or solar month;-a savůně month is made up of thirty days at any time;—a chandră, or lunar month ;—a nŭkshŭtrů month occupies the period of the moon's passage through the twenty-seven stellar mansions. The sŭtyǎ yoogů comprises 1,728,000 years; the trétů 1,296,000; the dwapără 864,000; the kǎlee 832,000. The amount of these four yoogus form a m ha or great yoogň, viz. 4,320,000 years. A thousand of these great yoogus constitute a day of Bromha, called a kălă, viz. 4,320,000,000. A hundred years of Brumha constitute the period of his life. * Gopală-turkalănkarů, the son of this author, is now (1817) the chief pundit in the Serampore printing. office. The seven planets are, Rovee (the sun), Chйndră (the moon), Müngülü (Mars), Boodhă (Mercury), Vrihăspătee (Jupiter), Shookrů (Venus), Shinee (Saturn). The progress of these planets are defined according to eight different degrees of rapidity. This work next gives the circumference and diameter of the earth; describes the lunar days, the earth's shadow, the division of the earth into quarters, &c. The circumference of the earth is 5059 yojănăs,* and its diameter one-third of that number. An eclipse of the moon is thus accounted for: when the sun and moon remain in the seventh sign, the earth is necessarily placed betwixt them, and the earth's shadow falls on the moon. An eclipse of the sun takes place when the sun and moon are found in one sign, at which time the moon's shadow falls on the sun. The author also describes the periods when eclipses will take place, the length of their continuance, the appearance of these planets during an eclipse, the parts of the planet which will first become affected, as well as those from which the shadow will first depart.-The times of the rising and setting of the planets are also described, and an account is given of the periods when different planets are in conjunction. upon The progress of creation is thus described: Vishnoo first created the waters, and then, the waters, scattered the seed from which a golden egg sprung, which remained in darkness. From this egg burst forth Sunkurshůnu, a form of Vishnoo; who, for the purposes of creation, formed Brumha; from the eyes of which god the sun issued, from his mind the moon, vacuum, air, matter, water, and fire; from these five elements sprung Müngülü, Boodhů, Vrihuspǎtee, Shookrů, and Shǎnee. Sōōryů, in the form of Dwadushatma, divided himself into twelve parts. From the five primary elements sprung the twenty-seven stars (nukshutrus).-After this, were created the gods and goddesses. The author next gives the dimensions of the firmament, the elevation of the highest star, of Shănee, Vrihŭspŭtee, Müngălă, Sooryů, Shookrů, Boodhů, and Chůndră.† . The earth is round, and floats in the air by its own power without any supporter. Linka is in the centre of the earth; and to the East of Lonka, at the extremity of the + See page 7. Each yojunŭ is eight miles. earth, is Yămă-kotee; on its Western extremity is Romůkă-pittůnů; the antipodes of Lănka are the inhabitants of Siddhee-pooră; and on the Northern extremity of the earth is Sooméroo, and on the Southern Vără-vanălă. When the sun arises on Lănka, he sets on Siddhee-pooră; at which time, at Yămă-kotee, it is mid-day, and at Romůkă-půttănŭ midnight. To the north of Linka is Bharătă-vărshň, which contains the mountain Himalayă, to the north of which is Hémŭkootů. To the north of Siddhee-pooru is Kooroo-vurshŏ, and the mountain Shringăvană. To the north of Yami-kotee is Bhidrashwu-vůrshů, and mount Malyavanů. To the north of Romikй lies Kétoomala-vŭrshu, and the mountain Gundhă-madŭnů. On Sooméroo reside the gods. To the South of Lănka is the sea, which separates the territories of the gods and giants; and, in a continued southerly direction, are the following seas and islands: first the salt sea; then Shakŭ-dweepů, and the sea of milk; Shalmulee-dweep, and the sea of curds; Kooshu-dweepů, and the sea of clarified butter; Krounchu-dweepŭ, and the sea of sugar-cane juice; Gomédйků-dw pй, and the sea of spirituous liquors; Pooshkărădweepů, and the sea of fresh water; and still further southwards Vără-vanŭl.... In the bowels of the earth are the seven patalus, the abodes of the hydras. Bhaskǎracharyŭ next accounts for the equal division of day and night; and explains the progress of the sun through the zodiac. The author begs leave to add in this place a disjointed extract or two from Mr. Davis's Essay on the "Astronomical Computations of the Hindoos," inserted in the second volume of the Asiatic Researches: "I suppose it sufficiently well known, that the Hindoo division of the ecliptic into signs, degrees, &c. is the same as ours; that their astronomical year is sydereal, or containing that space of time in which the sun, departing from a star, returns to the same; that it commences on the instant of his entering the sign Aries, or rather the Hindoo constellation Méshu; that each astronomical month contains as many even days and fractional parts as he stays in each sign; and that the civil differs from the astronomical ac |